Berberian Sound Studio and In Fabric filmmaker Peter Strickland is back this year with Flux Gourmet, a bonkers new horror-comedy that IFC Midnight brings to the table this summer. Flux Gourmet comes to select theaters and Digital/VOD on June 24, 2022. You can watch the wild trailer for the Berberian Sound Studio filmmaker’s new movie down […]
The post ‘Berberian Sound Studio’ Director’s ‘Flux Gourmet’ Looks Like One of the Wildest Movies of the Year [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post ‘Berberian Sound Studio’ Director’s ‘Flux Gourmet’ Looks Like One of the Wildest Movies of the Year [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 4/25/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Every so often, a movie comes along that sends culinarily inclined audiences into rapture — “Babette’s Feast,” “Big Night” or “Like Water for Chocolate” spring to mind — getting eyes glistening and mouths watering in anticipation of a meal that only the characters will ever taste. “Flux Gourmet” is not that foodie movie. In fact, “Flux Gourmet” may well send audiences running for the loo, or else reaching for the barf bag, coming about as close to triggering the gag reflux as a film can without actually jamming a finger down your throat.
It’s doubtful that was quite the intention of writer-director Peter Strickland, the content-with-cult-status auteur behind “Berberian Sound Studio” and “In Fabric.” And yet, somewhere around the scene where alimentary performance artist Elle di Elle (Fatma Mohamad) unscrews a stool sample cup and smears the dark chocolaty goo all over her face, audiences will be making like the sickly green Nauseated Face emoji,...
It’s doubtful that was quite the intention of writer-director Peter Strickland, the content-with-cult-status auteur behind “Berberian Sound Studio” and “In Fabric.” And yet, somewhere around the scene where alimentary performance artist Elle di Elle (Fatma Mohamad) unscrews a stool sample cup and smears the dark chocolaty goo all over her face, audiences will be making like the sickly green Nauseated Face emoji,...
- 2/12/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Outré horror maestro Peter Strickland is back. The filmmaker behind such Eurotica, vintage, throwback classics such as “Berberian Sound Studio” (2012), “The Duke of Burgundy” (2014), and “In Fabric” (2018), returns to the Berlin Film Festival this week, with his latest deliciously bizarro offering, “Flux Gourmet.” The premise? Something like beef within the culinary/sonic art collective world and a whole set of egos and intestinal issues.
Continue reading ‘Flux Gourmet’ Exclusive Poster: Peter Strickland’s Wild New Film Gets Some Beautiful Art To Accompany Its Berlin Debut at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Flux Gourmet’ Exclusive Poster: Peter Strickland’s Wild New Film Gets Some Beautiful Art To Accompany Its Berlin Debut at The Playlist.
- 2/11/2022
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
British auteur Peter Strickland is back with his fifth feature, “Flux Gourmet,” and it is as striking and uncompromising as his previous body of work, which includes “In Fabric” (2018), “The Duke of Burgundy” (2014), “Berberian Sound Studio” (2012) and “Katalin Varga” (2009). “Flux Gourmet” world premieres at the Berlin Film Festival’s Encounters strand on Feb. 11.
The film follows a sonic collective trio with rocky interpersonal dynamics, who take up residency at an institute devoted to culinary and alimentary performance and have to answer to the institute’s head, who has her own opinions about their work. Their chronicler, meanwhile, is dealing with stomach problems.
“Flux Gourmet” began life as Strickland was completing “In Fabric” when a producer offered him the opportunity of making anything he wanted, provided the budget was under £1 million ($1.3 million). “When I showed them the script, they ran a mile,” Strickland told Variety. “They said, ‘Do whatever you want,...
The film follows a sonic collective trio with rocky interpersonal dynamics, who take up residency at an institute devoted to culinary and alimentary performance and have to answer to the institute’s head, who has her own opinions about their work. Their chronicler, meanwhile, is dealing with stomach problems.
“Flux Gourmet” began life as Strickland was completing “In Fabric” when a producer offered him the opportunity of making anything he wanted, provided the budget was under £1 million ($1.3 million). “When I showed them the script, they ran a mile,” Strickland told Variety. “They said, ‘Do whatever you want,...
- 2/11/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Say what you will about British horror director Peter Strickland, but his films are anything but dull. He broke out with 2005’s “Berberian Sound Studio,” a twisted tribute to 1970s Italian horror that established him as one of the genre’s most unique voices. Recent films “The Duke of Burgundy” and “In Fabric” continued to show off his distinctive visual style and unapologetic embrace of weirdness. His fans have nothing to worry about with latest film “Flux Gourmet,” which debuts at the Berlin Film Festival this week and appears to be firmly within his wheelhouse.
As “Berberian Sound Studio” focused on people who make horror movies, “Flux Gourmet” follows a collective of gourmands and the internal power struggles that unfold within the organization. Asa Butterfield and Gwendoline Christie lead the cast, which also features Ariane Labed, Fatma Mohamed, Makis Papadimitriou, Leo Bill, and Richard Bremmer.
The official synopsis for “Flux Gourmet...
As “Berberian Sound Studio” focused on people who make horror movies, “Flux Gourmet” follows a collective of gourmands and the internal power struggles that unfold within the organization. Asa Butterfield and Gwendoline Christie lead the cast, which also features Ariane Labed, Fatma Mohamed, Makis Papadimitriou, Leo Bill, and Richard Bremmer.
The official synopsis for “Flux Gourmet...
- 2/8/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Part of our on-going series Notebook Soundtrack Mixes.Forever on the edge of one's seat, giallo is the provider of all the glamorous and hallucinatory emotions. The film genre and its musical sister is somewhat a crown jewel when it comes to detailed niches, sub-genres, and die hard fans. Original LP records from the giallo genre can cost a hefty sum and the blossoming vinyl reissuing industry (an exciting addition over recent decades) proves how enduring the genre and its sub-genres are. This giallo bonanza comes in just shy of two hours and you will find both influential and cherished moments and secluded moments on the sidelines. That, for me, showcases its textures and ultimately what a fun, trippy genre it is. The work of the masters is in full swing, beloved composers such as Bruno Nicolai, Nora Orlandi, Riz Ortolani, and Goblin all have turns. And of course, the...
- 7/29/2020
- MUBI
There may be no better metaphor for an identity crisis than the art of the voiceover. In “The Intruder,” the haunting and sophisticated psychological thriller from Argentine director Natalia Meta, the symbolic potential is clear early on. Inés (Érica Rives) watches a schlocky, violent movie as she dubs the screams into a microphone, her hands in front of her face and her eyes wide with embellished fear. As Inés hovers between her daily routine and the fictional worlds where she lends her voice, her reality grows more tenuous, as .
Channeling the psychological thrills of performance in “Black Swan” with a spooky audiovisual tapestry similar to Peter Strickland’s “Berberian Sound Studio,” Meta develops Inés’ conundrum through the accumulation of disturbing dreams that invade her everyday existence. Inés’ saga begins on a tropical vacation with her new lover Leopardo (Daniel Hendler), a romantic cheeseball who grows jealous when he overhears her muttering in her sleep.
Channeling the psychological thrills of performance in “Black Swan” with a spooky audiovisual tapestry similar to Peter Strickland’s “Berberian Sound Studio,” Meta develops Inés’ conundrum through the accumulation of disturbing dreams that invade her everyday existence. Inés’ saga begins on a tropical vacation with her new lover Leopardo (Daniel Hendler), a romantic cheeseball who grows jealous when he overhears her muttering in her sleep.
- 2/22/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Take two parts De Palma, one part Zulawski, four parts “Berberian Sound Studio” and dissolve the whole in about a million parts water, and the resultant dilute solution might approximate “The Intruder,” an oddly flavorless supernatural psycho-thriller from sophomore Argentinian director Natalia Meta. The claustrophobically close-up tale of a woman’s mental unraveling in the wake of a traumatic incident, the film is an adaptation of regional cult favorite “El mal menor” (literally “The Lesser Evil”) by C.E. Feiling, which is evidently a horror-tinged riff on gender and sexual identity. As such, it comes to a stalwart but perhaps rather respectable Berlin competition lineup promising a welcome blast of genre-inflected chaotic-evil energy.
But Meta chooses not to fully embrace the story’s lurid potential. In the flat light of Dp Barbara Alvarez’s strangely prosaic photography, this relatively straightforward assembly of unusual ingredients — mysterious pipe-organ tuners, terrible boyfriends, anti-mothers, sonic...
But Meta chooses not to fully embrace the story’s lurid potential. In the flat light of Dp Barbara Alvarez’s strangely prosaic photography, this relatively straightforward assembly of unusual ingredients — mysterious pipe-organ tuners, terrible boyfriends, anti-mothers, sonic...
- 2/21/2020
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Following its screenings on the festival circuit (including Fantastic Fest and the Toronto International Film Festival), the cult-centric film The Other Lamb has been acquired for North American distribution by IFC Midnight, with plans to release the movie next year:
Press Release: New York, NY - IFC Midnight is acquiring North American rights to The Other Lamb directed by Małgorzata Szumowska starring Raffey Cassidy, Michiel Huisman, and Denise Gough and is written by award-winning Australian screenwriter Catherine S. McMullen (Two Sentence Horror Stories). The screenplay was featured on the 2017 Black List, Hit List and Blood List and had its World Premiere as a Special Presentation at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. The film most recently screened at the 2019 Fantastic Fest and is currently in competition at the 2019 BFI London Film Festival. Szumowska has previously won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival 2015 for her film Body and subsequently...
Press Release: New York, NY - IFC Midnight is acquiring North American rights to The Other Lamb directed by Małgorzata Szumowska starring Raffey Cassidy, Michiel Huisman, and Denise Gough and is written by award-winning Australian screenwriter Catherine S. McMullen (Two Sentence Horror Stories). The screenplay was featured on the 2017 Black List, Hit List and Blood List and had its World Premiere as a Special Presentation at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. The film most recently screened at the 2019 Fantastic Fest and is currently in competition at the 2019 BFI London Film Festival. Szumowska has previously won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival 2015 for her film Body and subsequently...
- 10/10/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
After making a splash on the film festival circuit, Jennifer Reeder’s haunting, music-infused neo-noir Knives and Skin (which recently played at Popcorn Frights Film Festival and has a fascinating personality all its own) has been acquired by IFC Midnight, with a release planned for this December:
Press Release: IFC Midnight has acquired North American rights to Jennifer Reeder’s visionary coming-of-age thriller Knives And Skin, starring Kate Arrington, Tony Fitzpatrick, Tim Hopper, Raven Whitley (Red Line), and Ty Olwin (Personal Shopper). Knives And Skin was produced by Brian Hieggelke and Jan Hieggelke of Newcity/Chicago Film Project. The film had its World Premiere at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival and had its North American debut at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and 2019 Fantasia Film Festival. Knives And Skin will next screen at the upcoming 2019 Fantastic Fest, and the prestigious 2019 Deauville American Film Festival. IFC Midnight is planning to release the film...
Press Release: IFC Midnight has acquired North American rights to Jennifer Reeder’s visionary coming-of-age thriller Knives And Skin, starring Kate Arrington, Tony Fitzpatrick, Tim Hopper, Raven Whitley (Red Line), and Ty Olwin (Personal Shopper). Knives And Skin was produced by Brian Hieggelke and Jan Hieggelke of Newcity/Chicago Film Project. The film had its World Premiere at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival and had its North American debut at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and 2019 Fantasia Film Festival. Knives And Skin will next screen at the upcoming 2019 Fantastic Fest, and the prestigious 2019 Deauville American Film Festival. IFC Midnight is planning to release the film...
- 8/26/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Peter Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and The Duke of Burgundy (2014) are showing in June and July, 2019 on Mubi in the United Kingdom.“…if the film or television image seems to ‘speak’ for itself, it is actually a ventriloquist’s speech.”—Michel Chion, Audio-Vision, 1990In an early scene in The Duke of Burgundy, a character describes how one can tell two seemingly-identical species of butterfly apart by the sound each makes, saying, “Since these species are so visually indistinguishable from each other, the sound they produce should differentiate the two.” In a way, the statement provides a thesis for much of the cinema of Peter Strickland relative to his aesthetic forebears. According to the majority of film writing that takes either of his two features Berberian Sound Studio or The Duke of Burgundy as a subject, Strickland’s oeuvre owes something to European genre cinema—more popularly known in French...
- 7/11/2019
- MUBI
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSRip TornThe great American actor and comedian Rip Torn has died. The New York Times gathers his eclectic accomplishments as a performer with his many personal and artistic eccentricities in their obit. The first poster for Hirokazu Kore-eda's The Truth, starring Catherine Deneuve as a pioneering French actress, set to publish her confessional memoir, and Juliette Binoche as her screenwriter daughter. Recommended VIEWINGAn ominous teaser for Akira director Katsuhiro Otomo's forthcoming third feature, Orbital Era. The film follows a group of young boys surviving in a space colony as it undergoes construction. The Royal Ocean Film Society analyzes the design philosophy of filmmaker and graphic designer Saul Bass in this guided visual tour of his landmark film posters.The divisive, baroque Italian auteur Paolo Sorrentino is back with a crime epic concerning the inner...
- 7/10/2019
- MUBI
"I don't normally wear this kind of thing." A24 has revealed a trailer for the indie horror film In Fabric, which first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year to some solid acclaim. This odd, unique British thriller is about a "killer dress", also known as a cursed dress that kills the person who wears it as it passes from person to person in a London department store. "From acclaimed horror director Peter Strickland (the singular auteur behind the sumptuous sadomasochistic romance The Duke of Burgundy and auditory gaillo-homage Berberian Sound Studio) comes a truly nightmarish film, at turns frightening, seductive, and darkly humorous. Channeling voyeuristic fantasies of high fashion and bloodshed, In Fabric is Strickland’s most twisted and brilliantly original vision yet." This stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill, Caroline Catz, Julian Barratt, and Gwendoline Christie. Looks so twisted and crazy and unique. Here's the first...
- 5/29/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Of all the things to throw someone’s life into abject chaos and uncertainty, a piece of clothing is pretty far down on that list. So in director Peter Strickland’s latest film, it’s no surprise that it’s almost too late when one central character realizes that the growing source of misery in her life is an impulse purchase.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste stars as a recent divorcee, looking to make a statement for an upcoming date. When she buys a striking red dress, the mysterious department store attendant gives the audience some not-so-subtle clues that this may be a choice she comes to regret. “In Fabric” is more than just a “killer dress” movie, but the trailer below gives a pretty good indication of what to expect from Strickland’s most recent film, including the mix of throwback atmospheric horror and raw sensuality that marked the filmmaker’s last...
Marianne Jean-Baptiste stars as a recent divorcee, looking to make a statement for an upcoming date. When she buys a striking red dress, the mysterious department store attendant gives the audience some not-so-subtle clues that this may be a choice she comes to regret. “In Fabric” is more than just a “killer dress” movie, but the trailer below gives a pretty good indication of what to expect from Strickland’s most recent film, including the mix of throwback atmospheric horror and raw sensuality that marked the filmmaker’s last...
- 5/29/2019
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
I’ve got a wild trailer here for you to watch today for a delightfully weird new horror movie called In Fabric. The film tells the story of a woman who is lured into a clothing store and ends up walking out with an evil and cursed red dress that terrorizes and kills.
As you’ll see, the movie was heavily inspired by the 1960s Italian horror thrillers. I dig the vibe, and it looks like it will be a fun horror movie. It comes from director Peter Strickland, who previously made films such as The Duke of Burgundy and Berberian Sound Studio.
Here’s the official synopsis:
A lonely woman (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), recently separated from her husband, visits a bewitching London department store in search of a dress that will transform her life. She’s fitted with a perfectly flattering, artery-red gown—which, in time, will come to unleash...
As you’ll see, the movie was heavily inspired by the 1960s Italian horror thrillers. I dig the vibe, and it looks like it will be a fun horror movie. It comes from director Peter Strickland, who previously made films such as The Duke of Burgundy and Berberian Sound Studio.
Here’s the official synopsis:
A lonely woman (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), recently separated from her husband, visits a bewitching London department store in search of a dress that will transform her life. She’s fitted with a perfectly flattering, artery-red gown—which, in time, will come to unleash...
- 5/29/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Filmmaker Peter Strickland's stock in trade is displayed in fine fashion in the first trailer for In Fabric. The trailer looks moody and unsettling, which is exactly what we might expect based on Strickland's previous two films, the deliriously loopy Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and the extremely atmospheric The Duke of Burgundy (2014). Both sumptuous films played very well on theatrical screens, though I could relate more to the former's mysterious turns than the latter's demented ideas about romance. In Fabric stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill, and Gwendoline Christie. Where does Peter Strickland go this time? Here's the official synopsis: "A lonely woman (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), recently separated from her husband, visits a bewitching London department store in search of a dress that will...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 5/29/2019
- Screen Anarchy
Featuring eight segments of horror based on frightening folklore from countries around the world, The Field Guide to Evil is coming to theaters and VOD on March 29th, and you can now watch the new trailer for the eclectic horror anthology.
Read the official press release for additional details on The Field Guide to Evil, check here to read Heather Wixson's SXSW interview with some of the filmmakers behind the new movie, and you can get an idea of what to expect in the new trailer below.
Press Release: New York, NY --- Tuesday, February 19, 2019 --- On March 29th, the terrifying new horror anthology The Field Guide To Evil will be released to theaters across America and all digital platforms. A new poster and trailer for the film debut today at fieldguidetoevil.com.
In Field Guide, eight of the most exciting new voices in international horror were asked to...
Read the official press release for additional details on The Field Guide to Evil, check here to read Heather Wixson's SXSW interview with some of the filmmakers behind the new movie, and you can get an idea of what to expect in the new trailer below.
Press Release: New York, NY --- Tuesday, February 19, 2019 --- On March 29th, the terrifying new horror anthology The Field Guide To Evil will be released to theaters across America and all digital platforms. A new poster and trailer for the film debut today at fieldguidetoevil.com.
In Field Guide, eight of the most exciting new voices in international horror were asked to...
- 2/19/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Now that the Los Angeles Film Festival is no more, AFI Fest is more important than ever. It was the premier event of its kind even before its crosstown rival announced its permanent closure late last month, but now that it’s the only game in town, it’s unmissable. This year’s edition of the last major festival of the calendar year comes with a handful world premieres — “On the Basis of Sex,” “Mary Queen of Scots,” and “Bird Box” — and a robust slate of offerings from the likes of Berlin, Cannes, and Venice.
AFI Fest’s strength has always been the way it eschews world premieres in favor of high-quality films that premiered elsewhere on the festival circuit; Jacqueline Lyanga, whose eight-year tenure as Festival Director came to an end this summer, likened it to an “almanac of the year in cinema.” With that in mind, seek out...
AFI Fest’s strength has always been the way it eschews world premieres in favor of high-quality films that premiered elsewhere on the festival circuit; Jacqueline Lyanga, whose eight-year tenure as Festival Director came to an end this summer, likened it to an “almanac of the year in cinema.” With that in mind, seek out...
- 11/8/2018
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
For obsessive-compulsive director Peter Strickland, horror cinema is all about style — a rapturous celebration of color, sound, and texture, fetishized nearly to the point of abstraction — so it stands to reason that the eccentric auteur behind “The Duke of Burgundy” and “Berberian Sound Studio” should next turn his attention to fashion. Technically speaking, “In Fabric” isn’t about the clothing industry but a single dress, a stunning red formal gown that plays nasty tricks on anyone who wears it.
Patterned after eye-popping giallo films of the 1970s and ’80s — that cult-beloved B-movie genre through which directors such as Dario Argento and Mario Bava crafted high-art imagery in service of less-than-coherent storytelling — “In Fabric” feels like a bespoke homage to those ultra-stylized Italian thrillers, with a wickedly arch sense of humor all its own, and a wicked other-dimensional vibe courtesy of modular synth group Cavern of Anti-Matter. What a peculiar coincidence...
Patterned after eye-popping giallo films of the 1970s and ’80s — that cult-beloved B-movie genre through which directors such as Dario Argento and Mario Bava crafted high-art imagery in service of less-than-coherent storytelling — “In Fabric” feels like a bespoke homage to those ultra-stylized Italian thrillers, with a wickedly arch sense of humor all its own, and a wicked other-dimensional vibe courtesy of modular synth group Cavern of Anti-Matter. What a peculiar coincidence...
- 9/8/2018
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
A well-worn turn of phrase to begin: No one makes movies like Peter Strickland. That's not to say the British writer-director behind the suggestive Roma revenge thriller Katalin Varga (2009), the aurally fixated horror film Berberian Sound Studio (2012), and the ethereal S&m romance The Duke of Burgundy (2014) is somehow outside or above influence. His love of hot-blooded giallo and Europudding erotica is almost always evident (Berberian even took place behind the scenes of a sleazy Italian slasher). But he somehow manages to transform and transcend what, in many hands, would feel unoriginal and derivative.
Speaking of ...
Speaking of ...
A well-worn turn of phrase to begin: No one makes movies like Peter Strickland. That's not to say the British writer-director behind the suggestive Roma revenge thriller Katalin Varga (2009), the aurally fixated horror film Berberian Sound Studio (2012), and the ethereal S&m romance The Duke of Burgundy (2014) is somehow outside or above influence. His love of hot-blooded giallo and Europudding erotica is almost always evident (Berberian even took place behind the scenes of a sleazy Italian slasher). But he somehow manages to transform and transcend what, in many hands, would feel unoriginal and derivative.
Speaking of ...
Speaking of ...
The second wave of programming has been announced for The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, revealing new world premieres, short film programming, special events, and a brand new restoration of Blood Harvest from Vinegar Syndrome. To learn more and pick up tickets, visit:
http://brooklynhorrorfest.com/badges/
From the Press Release: The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival unveils the remainder of our massive line-up for the third edition, now larger than ever before and spanning from October 11th - 18th with screenings and events across Bk. The festival is thrilled to return to Nitehawk Cinema, Syndicated, Liu Kumble Theatre, Videology, and the Wythe Hotel Cinema. This year we’ll also be invading Ifp’s Made in NY Media Center with our unique brand of bloody fun.
Completing the Stage Frights line-up of live events, Bhff will team up once again with Drunk Education to bring you an inebriated talk on religious horror with Bad Religion,...
http://brooklynhorrorfest.com/badges/
From the Press Release: The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival unveils the remainder of our massive line-up for the third edition, now larger than ever before and spanning from October 11th - 18th with screenings and events across Bk. The festival is thrilled to return to Nitehawk Cinema, Syndicated, Liu Kumble Theatre, Videology, and the Wythe Hotel Cinema. This year we’ll also be invading Ifp’s Made in NY Media Center with our unique brand of bloody fun.
Completing the Stage Frights line-up of live events, Bhff will team up once again with Drunk Education to bring you an inebriated talk on religious horror with Bad Religion,...
- 9/5/2018
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
After highlighting 55 anticipated titles confirmed to arrive in theaters this fall, we now turn our attention to the festival-bound films either without distribution or awaiting a release date. Looking over Venice International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and New York Film Festival titles, we’ve rounded up 20 movies — most of which we’ll be checking out over the next few weeks — that we can’t wait to see.
Check out our 20 most-anticipated festival premieres below, and return for our review.
American Dharma (Errol Morris)
We apologize for the triggering image right off the bat in this feature, but as much he doesn’t deserve any more attention, the thought of watching master interviewer Errol Morris interrogate one of America’s most warped minds does have its intrigue. The Fog of War director’s documentary on former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon will premiere at Venice and play at...
Check out our 20 most-anticipated festival premieres below, and return for our review.
American Dharma (Errol Morris)
We apologize for the triggering image right off the bat in this feature, but as much he doesn’t deserve any more attention, the thought of watching master interviewer Errol Morris interrogate one of America’s most warped minds does have its intrigue. The Fog of War director’s documentary on former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon will premiere at Venice and play at...
- 8/27/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Brillante Mendoza’s “Alpha, the Right to Kill,” Felix Van Groeningen’s Brad Pitt-produced “Beautiful Boy,” Louis Garrel’s “A Faithful Man” and Peter Strickland’s “In Fabric” will compete for San Sebastian’s Golden Seashell, the Basque festival announced Friday.
Further new main competition titles unveiled take in Liu Jie’s “Baby” and Tuva Novotny’s debut “Blind Spot.”
The six titles join 12 already-announced competition contenders. San Sebastian has yet to unveil its closing film.
Festival’s official selection – which takes in competition and out-of-competition titles – opens Sept. 21 with Ricardo Darín and Mercedes Morán-starrer “An Unexpected Love.” Playing in competition, the film represents the directorial debut by Juan Vera, Argentine producer of titles by Pablo Trapero and Lucrecia Martel.
Felix Van Groeningen won the Panorama audience award at the 2013 Berlinale with “Alabama Monroe,” Oscar-nominated for best foreign language film. In “Beautiful Boy,” his English language debut, toplining Steve Carell and Timothée Chamalet,...
Further new main competition titles unveiled take in Liu Jie’s “Baby” and Tuva Novotny’s debut “Blind Spot.”
The six titles join 12 already-announced competition contenders. San Sebastian has yet to unveil its closing film.
Festival’s official selection – which takes in competition and out-of-competition titles – opens Sept. 21 with Ricardo Darín and Mercedes Morán-starrer “An Unexpected Love.” Playing in competition, the film represents the directorial debut by Juan Vera, Argentine producer of titles by Pablo Trapero and Lucrecia Martel.
Felix Van Groeningen won the Panorama audience award at the 2013 Berlinale with “Alabama Monroe,” Oscar-nominated for best foreign language film. In “Beautiful Boy,” his English language debut, toplining Steve Carell and Timothée Chamalet,...
- 8/17/2018
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
What if the “freaks” had made Tod Browning’s “Freaks”? That seems to be the guiding impulse behind Aaron Schimberg’s second feature “Chained for Life” as he follows his intriguing 2013 black-and-white dreamscape “Go Down Death” with an even more challenging mix of outre form and content. Easier to admire than to love, this fascinating meta-narrative involving a film crew making a quasi-horror movie about physical disabilities keeps viewers at a deliberate distance — the better to make us question the nature of what we’re seeing (and thinking).
In another era, “Chained for Life” might have found a place on the midnight movie circuit — albeit a temporary one, as the film (presumably named after the cheesy 1952 exploitation vehicle for Siamese twins Violet and Daisy Hilton) is a mite too intellectual in appeal to have rivaled the likes of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” or “Eraserhead” (a film to which “Chained...
In another era, “Chained for Life” might have found a place on the midnight movie circuit — albeit a temporary one, as the film (presumably named after the cheesy 1952 exploitation vehicle for Siamese twins Violet and Daisy Hilton) is a mite too intellectual in appeal to have rivaled the likes of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” or “Eraserhead” (a film to which “Chained...
- 7/27/2018
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu has confirmed that several of its original series will be debuting new episodes on the streaming service in July, including the first season of the highly anticipated Stephen King thriller “Castle Rock” as well as season 2 of the costume drama “Harlots” and season 4 of the comedy “Casual.”
And there will also be new to Hulu seasons of some of your favorites from other networks, including season 2 of “The Strain,” season 4 of “The Vikings” and season 8 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first Hulu appearances including the first five films in the “Star Trek” franchise and the Oscar-winning “Rosemary’s Baby.”
See Netflix schedule: Here’s what is coming and leaving in July
Available July 1: TV
Alaska: The Last Frontier: Complete Season 4 (Discovery)
Deadliest Catch: Complete Season 11 (Discovery)
Deadly Women: Complete Season 6 (ID)
Dual Survival: Complete Season 5 (Discovery)
Elementary: Complete Season...
And there will also be new to Hulu seasons of some of your favorites from other networks, including season 2 of “The Strain,” season 4 of “The Vikings” and season 8 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first Hulu appearances including the first five films in the “Star Trek” franchise and the Oscar-winning “Rosemary’s Baby.”
See Netflix schedule: Here’s what is coming and leaving in July
Available July 1: TV
Alaska: The Last Frontier: Complete Season 4 (Discovery)
Deadliest Catch: Complete Season 11 (Discovery)
Deadly Women: Complete Season 6 (ID)
Dual Survival: Complete Season 5 (Discovery)
Elementary: Complete Season...
- 7/1/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
See-Saw Films has hired veteran executive Nicky Earnshaw as head of production for its U.K. film and television divisions, effective July 9.
Earnshaw will be responsible for the production and day-to-day operations of See-Saw’s film and TV slate developed and produced out of the U.K. office. In addition, she will oversee productions greenlit through the recently announced first-look deal with New Regency, as part of See-Saw’s increasing presence in the U.S.
Managing directors Iain Canning and Emile Sherman said: “Nicky is undeniably one of the most experienced and respected production executives in the business, with extensive industry knowledge particularly in the U.K. and excellent relationships with globally renowned filmmakers and talent. We are excited to have her join our team and have no doubt she will be an extraordinary asset to our growing film and television business.”
Earnshaw takes over the role from Amy Jackson,...
Earnshaw will be responsible for the production and day-to-day operations of See-Saw’s film and TV slate developed and produced out of the U.K. office. In addition, she will oversee productions greenlit through the recently announced first-look deal with New Regency, as part of See-Saw’s increasing presence in the U.S.
Managing directors Iain Canning and Emile Sherman said: “Nicky is undeniably one of the most experienced and respected production executives in the business, with extensive industry knowledge particularly in the U.K. and excellent relationships with globally renowned filmmakers and talent. We are excited to have her join our team and have no doubt she will be an extraordinary asset to our growing film and television business.”
Earnshaw takes over the role from Amy Jackson,...
- 5/31/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
An open casting is being held in Sheffield, where the story is set.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the hit musical about a teenage drag queen at a Sheffield school, is getting the film treatment from Sheffield-based Warp Films and Film4.
The musical opened in Sheffield in 2017 and is currently playing in London’s West End. It was nominated for five Olivier awards in 2018.
Warp Films are holding an open casting call from today (May 30) until July 22 for ‘thirty young people’ from the Yorkshire city to play the story’s central Year 11 class. All original cast have been screen tested...
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the hit musical about a teenage drag queen at a Sheffield school, is getting the film treatment from Sheffield-based Warp Films and Film4.
The musical opened in Sheffield in 2017 and is currently playing in London’s West End. It was nominated for five Olivier awards in 2018.
Warp Films are holding an open casting call from today (May 30) until July 22 for ‘thirty young people’ from the Yorkshire city to play the story’s central Year 11 class. All original cast have been screen tested...
- 5/30/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Field Guide To Evil, a new horror anthology rooted in folklore, tells the most nefarious myths from 8 different countries around the world. Producers Tim League and Ant Timpson, of The ABC’S of Death 1&2, raised $500,000 through the funding portal First Democracy Vc, the result of a partnership between Indiegogo and Microventures, and dispersed the money raised to its eclectic team of filmmakers.
Boasting the talents of Goodnight Mommy duo Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz, The Lure’s Agnieszka Smoczynska, Berberian Sound Studio’s Peter Strickland, and The Procedure’s (A Sundance Grand Jury Winning short) Calvin Lee Reeder et al., Field Guide has a diverse series of films that’ll frighten and titillate you in their own ways.
I interviewed some of the filmmakers involved on various segments of Field Guide To Evil, and they helped demystify some of the inner workings behind the making of a horror anthology.
Who I...
Boasting the talents of Goodnight Mommy duo Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz, The Lure’s Agnieszka Smoczynska, Berberian Sound Studio’s Peter Strickland, and The Procedure’s (A Sundance Grand Jury Winning short) Calvin Lee Reeder et al., Field Guide has a diverse series of films that’ll frighten and titillate you in their own ways.
I interviewed some of the filmmakers involved on various segments of Field Guide To Evil, and they helped demystify some of the inner workings behind the making of a horror anthology.
Who I...
- 4/12/2018
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Aaron Hunt)
- Cinelinx
“When you don’t have the money, you really need the time.” The crew from Field Guide To Evil sat down with me to discuss the inner workings of the Horror Anthology.
Field Guide To Evil, a new horror anthology rooted in folklore, tells the most nefarious myths from 8 different countries around the world. Producers Tim League and Ant Timpson, of The ABC’S of Death 1&2, raised $500,000 through the funding portal First Democracy Vc, the result of a partnership between Indiegogo and Microventures, and dispersed the money raised to its eclectic team of filmmakers.
Boasting the talents of Goodnight Mommy duo Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz, The Lure’s Agnieszka Smoczynska, Berberian Sound Studio’s Peter Strickland, and The Procedure’s (A Sundance Grand Jury Winning short) Calvin Lee Reeder et al., Field Guide has a diverse series of films that’ll frighten and titillate you in their own ways.
I...
Field Guide To Evil, a new horror anthology rooted in folklore, tells the most nefarious myths from 8 different countries around the world. Producers Tim League and Ant Timpson, of The ABC’S of Death 1&2, raised $500,000 through the funding portal First Democracy Vc, the result of a partnership between Indiegogo and Microventures, and dispersed the money raised to its eclectic team of filmmakers.
Boasting the talents of Goodnight Mommy duo Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz, The Lure’s Agnieszka Smoczynska, Berberian Sound Studio’s Peter Strickland, and The Procedure’s (A Sundance Grand Jury Winning short) Calvin Lee Reeder et al., Field Guide has a diverse series of films that’ll frighten and titillate you in their own ways.
I...
- 4/12/2018
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Aaron Hunt)
- Cinelinx
Marianne Jean-Baptiste stars in ghost story.
Peter Strickland’s upcoming ghost story In Fabric has been acquired for UK distribution by Curzon.
The acquisition, which was struck with sales agent Bankside Films, continues Strickland’s relationship with Curzon, with the company having released all of his features to date in the UK: Katalin Varga (2009), Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and The Duke Of Burgundy (2014).
Curzon has also taken UK streaming rights; the distributor previously released titles including 45 Years in theatres day-and-date with its streaming platform Curzon Home Cinema. The release strategy will be finalised further down the line.
Previous territories closed on...
Peter Strickland’s upcoming ghost story In Fabric has been acquired for UK distribution by Curzon.
The acquisition, which was struck with sales agent Bankside Films, continues Strickland’s relationship with Curzon, with the company having released all of his features to date in the UK: Katalin Varga (2009), Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and The Duke Of Burgundy (2014).
Curzon has also taken UK streaming rights; the distributor previously released titles including 45 Years in theatres day-and-date with its streaming platform Curzon Home Cinema. The release strategy will be finalised further down the line.
Previous territories closed on...
- 3/15/2018
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Wes Anderson’s Isle Of Dogs to close Austin event; select guests to attend Alita: Battle Angel set on opening night party.
Goodnight Mommy directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala are among a coterie of directors whose horror anthology Field Guide To Evil will receive its world premiere in Midnighters at SXSW next month.
Field Guide To Evil (pictured) contains vignettes about the origins of folklore and boasts a director roster of Peter Stickland (The Duke Of Burgundy, Berberian Sound Studio), Agnieszka Smoczynska, Katrin Gebbe, Can Evrenol, Calvin Reeder (The Oregonian), Ashim Ahluwalia, and Yannis Veslemes.
Midnighters comprises 10 selections, six of which are world premieres. They include: Saw writer Leigh Whannell’s tech horror Upgrade; Owen Egerton’s horror film Blood Fest; Stephen Susco’s dark web tale Untitled Blumhouse-Bazelevs Film; Jenn Wexler’s slasher film The Ranger; and Colin Minihan’s What Keeps You Alive.
The selection includes Ari Aster’s recent Sundance hot ticket Hereditary from A24...
Goodnight Mommy directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala are among a coterie of directors whose horror anthology Field Guide To Evil will receive its world premiere in Midnighters at SXSW next month.
Field Guide To Evil (pictured) contains vignettes about the origins of folklore and boasts a director roster of Peter Stickland (The Duke Of Burgundy, Berberian Sound Studio), Agnieszka Smoczynska, Katrin Gebbe, Can Evrenol, Calvin Reeder (The Oregonian), Ashim Ahluwalia, and Yannis Veslemes.
Midnighters comprises 10 selections, six of which are world premieres. They include: Saw writer Leigh Whannell’s tech horror Upgrade; Owen Egerton’s horror film Blood Fest; Stephen Susco’s dark web tale Untitled Blumhouse-Bazelevs Film; Jenn Wexler’s slasher film The Ranger; and Colin Minihan’s What Keeps You Alive.
The selection includes Ari Aster’s recent Sundance hot ticket Hereditary from A24...
- 2/7/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Lots of mentally fragile guys are obsessed with their mothers, especially when it comes to cinematic tropes. Of course, there's Psycho, a giant of a film and a close cousin to Rupert Jones' debut feature, Kaleidoscope. Out today on VOD and in select theatres from IFC Midnight, Kaleidoscope is the tale of an ex-con who's having trouble re-integrating into society. Jones' brother, the always-terrific Toby Jones (Harry Potter, Atomic Blonde, The Hunger Games, Berberian Sound Studio), plays the disturbed man Carl, who we follow through his apartment, some memories, and perhaps misremembered events. Elements of Psycho echo within Kaleidoscope, but so too does Stanley Kubrick's masterful The Shining, Roman Polanski's The Tenant, and Spider (David Cronenberg's 2007 film centering on a schizophrenic man also re-entering society played by Ralph Fiennes). Carl meets up with...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 12/8/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Oficial trailer and poster for IFC Midnight’s release of Kaleidoscope – starring Toby Jones (Berberian Sound Studio; The Hunger Games) and directed by his brother, Rupert Jones – coming to select theaters, VOD, and via digital platforms in the U.S. on December 8, 2017. Official Synopsis This intense, twisty thriller unfolds in the darkest corners …
The post Official Trailer and Poster for IFC Midnight’s Kaleidoscope first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net 2017 - Official Horror News Site...
The post Official Trailer and Poster for IFC Midnight’s Kaleidoscope first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net 2017 - Official Horror News Site...
- 11/12/2017
- by Horrornews.net
- Horror News
IFC Midnight has announced a December 8, 2017, VOD release for their UK psychological thriller Kaleidoscope, which stars Toby Jones (Berberian Sound Studio, Red Lights, Tale of Tales, “Wayward Pines”), Anne Reid (The Mother) and Sinead Matthews (Happy-Go-Lucky). Described as a modern-day Psycho, Kaleidoscope explores the destructive relationship between a middle-aged man and his mother and is written and directed by Toby Jones’ brother Rupert […]...
- 11/9/2017
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Oscar nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste has been set to star in the ghost thriller In Fabric. Peter Strickland (Berberian Sound Studio, The Duke Of Burgundy) is directing from his own script a movie that follows the life of a cursed dress as it passes from person to person with devastating consequences during winter sale season. Principal photography starts at the end of October in the UK. Andy Starke is producing via his Rook Films banner. The project is co-financed by the…...
- 9/11/2017
- Deadline
When we did our staff best-of-the-year poll back in 2015, it was not surprising that the runaway winner was “Mad Max: Fury Road,” given how universally that film was loved. But the result that we weren’t expecting at all was that the number three slot was taken, amidst fierce competition by films including “Carol,” “Ex Machina,” “Inside Out,” “Spotlight” and “Tangerine,” by Peter Strickland’s “The Duke Of Burgundy.”
It wasn’t that the film wasn’t great — the third feature by the “Berberian Sound Studio” helmer absolutely was great.
Continue reading ‘Duke Of Burgundy’ Director Peter Strickland Returning With ‘In Fabric’ at The Playlist.
It wasn’t that the film wasn’t great — the third feature by the “Berberian Sound Studio” helmer absolutely was great.
Continue reading ‘Duke Of Burgundy’ Director Peter Strickland Returning With ‘In Fabric’ at The Playlist.
- 9/11/2017
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
IFC Midnight has acquired the UK psychological thriller Kaleidoscope, which stars Toby Jones (Berberian Sound Studio, Red Lights, Tale of Tales, “Wayward Pines”), Anne Reid (The Mother) and Sinead Matthews (Happy-Go-Lucky). Described as a modern day Psycho, Kaleidoscope explores the destructive relationship between a middle-aged man and his mother and is written and directed by Toby Jones’ brother Rupert Jones, who previously directed his brother […]...
- 9/6/2017
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: BFI, BBC Films, Independent, Luc Roeg also on board.
Dreams Of A Life and The Falling director Carol Morley will begin production on her next film in Atlanta, Georgia, in autumn 2017.
Out Of Blue, based on Martin Amis’s neo-noir detective novel Night Train, will star Shutter Island star Patricia Clarkson in the lead role as homicide detective Mike Hoolihan, with Toby Jones (Berberian Sound Studio), Mamie Gummer (The End of the Tour) and Teyonah Parris (Chi-Raq) also attached.
Further cast announcements are expected soon.
Developed with the support of the BFI, with National Lottery funding, and BBC Films, the film will be produced by Luc Roeg (We Need To Talk About Kevin) and Cairo Cannon (Dreams Of A Life) and will be sold by Independent in Cannes.
In Out Of Blue, when Hoolihan is called to investigate the shooting of leading astrophysicist and black hole expert, Jennifer Rockwell, she is affected...
Dreams Of A Life and The Falling director Carol Morley will begin production on her next film in Atlanta, Georgia, in autumn 2017.
Out Of Blue, based on Martin Amis’s neo-noir detective novel Night Train, will star Shutter Island star Patricia Clarkson in the lead role as homicide detective Mike Hoolihan, with Toby Jones (Berberian Sound Studio), Mamie Gummer (The End of the Tour) and Teyonah Parris (Chi-Raq) also attached.
Further cast announcements are expected soon.
Developed with the support of the BFI, with National Lottery funding, and BBC Films, the film will be produced by Luc Roeg (We Need To Talk About Kevin) and Cairo Cannon (Dreams Of A Life) and will be sold by Independent in Cannes.
In Out Of Blue, when Hoolihan is called to investigate the shooting of leading astrophysicist and black hole expert, Jennifer Rockwell, she is affected...
- 5/10/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday morning. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?” can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: What is the best horror film of the 21st century?
Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse), Freelancer for Rolling Stone, The Verge, Vulture
Everyone knows that the greatest Halloween film of all time is the 1962 nudie-cutie “House on Bare Mountain,” and my slavish devotion to giallo means that personal favorite horror movie of the new century is “Berberian Sound Studio”, but those are both answers to questions nobody asked. The finest horror film of the new millennium is “Cabin in the Woods”, both a dissertation on the history of the American scary movie and a chilling piece of work in its own right. With a fiendishly clever narrative hook,...
This week’s question: What is the best horror film of the 21st century?
Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse), Freelancer for Rolling Stone, The Verge, Vulture
Everyone knows that the greatest Halloween film of all time is the 1962 nudie-cutie “House on Bare Mountain,” and my slavish devotion to giallo means that personal favorite horror movie of the new century is “Berberian Sound Studio”, but those are both answers to questions nobody asked. The finest horror film of the new millennium is “Cabin in the Woods”, both a dissertation on the history of the American scary movie and a chilling piece of work in its own right. With a fiendishly clever narrative hook,...
- 10/31/2016
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Pinewood’s former head of production appointed production finance executive.
Film4 has hired former Pinewood Pictures head of production Nicky Earnshaw as production finance executive.
Earnshaw, head of production at Pinewood for three and a half years, joined the broadcaster last week.
In her new role she will supervise physical production on a number of projects, reporting to Film4’s head of production Tracey Josephs.
Three Film4 backed projects commence production in the Us in the next month: Andrew Haigh’s Lean On Pete, Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here, and Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Killing Of A Sacred Deer.
At Pinewood Pictures, Earnshaw oversaw production on films including Lone Scherfig’s forthcoming Their Finest, Spooks: The Greater Good and Belle.
Prior to joining Pinewood, she freelanced for 13 years in various production roles including production manager and line producer, on films including Cuban Fury, Berberian Sound Studio and Johnny English Reborn.
Film4 has hired former Pinewood Pictures head of production Nicky Earnshaw as production finance executive.
Earnshaw, head of production at Pinewood for three and a half years, joined the broadcaster last week.
In her new role she will supervise physical production on a number of projects, reporting to Film4’s head of production Tracey Josephs.
Three Film4 backed projects commence production in the Us in the next month: Andrew Haigh’s Lean On Pete, Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here, and Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Killing Of A Sacred Deer.
At Pinewood Pictures, Earnshaw oversaw production on films including Lone Scherfig’s forthcoming Their Finest, Spooks: The Greater Good and Belle.
Prior to joining Pinewood, she freelanced for 13 years in various production roles including production manager and line producer, on films including Cuban Fury, Berberian Sound Studio and Johnny English Reborn.
- 8/8/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Stan and BBC Worldwide Australia and New Zealand (Anz) have signed an exclusive licensing agreement that will see Sherlock season four, and any future seasons and specials, premiere exclusively on Stan simultaenous with the worldwide premiere. ..
Season four of Sherlock consists of three new feature-length episodes and will premiere later this year. The first trailer for the new season was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend (see above), teasing the addition of Toby Jones (Captain America, Berberian Sound Studio), who joins the cast this season as a new villain.
Sherlock producer Sue Vertue said she was "thrilled to be partnering with Stan on series four. They.ve been a very supportive partner for Sherlock in Australia and we look forward to working with them on the forthcoming season..
Stan.s Chief Content Officer Nick Forward said: .Sherlock: The Abominable Bride has been one of Stan.s most successful exclusive premieres ever.
Season four of Sherlock consists of three new feature-length episodes and will premiere later this year. The first trailer for the new season was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend (see above), teasing the addition of Toby Jones (Captain America, Berberian Sound Studio), who joins the cast this season as a new villain.
Sherlock producer Sue Vertue said she was "thrilled to be partnering with Stan on series four. They.ve been a very supportive partner for Sherlock in Australia and we look forward to working with them on the forthcoming season..
Stan.s Chief Content Officer Nick Forward said: .Sherlock: The Abominable Bride has been one of Stan.s most successful exclusive premieres ever.
- 7/25/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Stan and BBC Worldwide Australia and New Zealand (Anz) have signed an exclusive licensing agreement that will see Sherlock season four, and any future seasons and specials, premiere exclusively on Stan in Au/Nz simultaenous with the worldwide premiere. ..
Season four of Sherlock consists of three new feature-length episodes and will premiere later this year. The first trailer for the new season was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend (see above), teasing the addition of Toby Jones (Captain America, Berberian Sound Studio), who joins the cast this season as a new villain.
Sherlock producer Sue Vertue said she was "thrilled to be partnering with Stan on series four. They.ve been a very supportive partner for Sherlock in Australia and we look forward to working with them on the forthcoming season..
Stan.s Chief Content Officer Nick Forward said: .Sherlock: The Abominable Bride has been one of Stan...
Season four of Sherlock consists of three new feature-length episodes and will premiere later this year. The first trailer for the new season was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend (see above), teasing the addition of Toby Jones (Captain America, Berberian Sound Studio), who joins the cast this season as a new villain.
Sherlock producer Sue Vertue said she was "thrilled to be partnering with Stan on series four. They.ve been a very supportive partner for Sherlock in Australia and we look forward to working with them on the forthcoming season..
Stan.s Chief Content Officer Nick Forward said: .Sherlock: The Abominable Bride has been one of Stan...
- 7/25/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
July: a time for backyard cookouts, fireworks displays, and tipsy, tearful declarations of how you — sniff — just love America so much. And streaming addicts will have plenty to salute in the month to come, whether that's Netflix trotting out a new Goonies-style mystery series and reviving a certified cult animation sensation, or tempting new film options from the folks at Amazon Prime and Hulu. No better way to beat the heat than a retreat into the safety of an air-conditioned living room, and no better way to turn that space...
- 7/1/2016
- Rollingstone.com
A great many shows and movies are coming to Hulu next month, some more notable than others. To skip the chaff and go straight to the wheat, allow us to collate and curate a selection of the most notable titles available to stream in July:
“48 Hours” and “Another 48 Hours”
“The Aviator”
“Berberian Sound Studio”
“Broadway Danny Rose”
“The Brothers Bloom”
“Devil’s Pass”
“Dirty Wars”
“Dirty Work”
“‘Don’t Look Now”
“Escape From Alcatraz”
“Finding Neverland”
“Fish Tank”
“Flashdance”
“Gimme the Loot”
“Glory”
Read More: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: Reed Morano To Direct Elisabeth Moss In The Hulu Series
“Hackers”
“Hunger”
“The Hunt for Red October”
“In the Loop”
“Jimmy P”
“Liberal Arts”
“Like Someone in Love”
“The Loneliest Planet”
“Lonesome Jim”
“Manderlay”
“Me and You and Everyone We Know”
“Mommie Dearest”
“Phoenix”
“Rosemary’s Baby”
Read More: ‘Transparent’ Ratings Lag Behind Rivals on Netflix & Hulu
“Sightseers”
“Simon Killer...
“48 Hours” and “Another 48 Hours”
“The Aviator”
“Berberian Sound Studio”
“Broadway Danny Rose”
“The Brothers Bloom”
“Devil’s Pass”
“Dirty Wars”
“Dirty Work”
“‘Don’t Look Now”
“Escape From Alcatraz”
“Finding Neverland”
“Fish Tank”
“Flashdance”
“Gimme the Loot”
“Glory”
Read More: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: Reed Morano To Direct Elisabeth Moss In The Hulu Series
“Hackers”
“Hunger”
“The Hunt for Red October”
“In the Loop”
“Jimmy P”
“Liberal Arts”
“Like Someone in Love”
“The Loneliest Planet”
“Lonesome Jim”
“Manderlay”
“Me and You and Everyone We Know”
“Mommie Dearest”
“Phoenix”
“Rosemary’s Baby”
Read More: ‘Transparent’ Ratings Lag Behind Rivals on Netflix & Hulu
“Sightseers”
“Simon Killer...
- 6/22/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Beta, Celluloid Dreams, Protagonist, The Match Factory, Feltrinelli join indie distribution schemes.
European distribution schemes The Tide Experiment and Walk This Way have seen 2016 EU funding injections of €500,000 ($545,000) and €650,000 ($710,000), respectively.
Walk This Way aggregates and promotes films for straight-to-vod distribution in the EU.
In 2015, the network - co-ordinated by industry consortium Under The Milky Way, Europa International and The Film Agency - supported 280 multi-territory releases of independent films.
Sales agents to join the scheme for 2016 include Beta Cinema, Celluloid Dreams, New Europe Film Sales, Protagonist Pictures and The Match Factory. Existing partners include Autlook Film Sales, Gaumont, Pathé, Films Boutique, Films Distribution, Memento Film International and The Yellow Affair.
For its second edition, Walk This Way will help distribute 50 titles in more than 15 territories, which will require the creation of 400 subtitles. According to organisers, each film will be available in an average of eight territories on global and local platforms.
Key titles...
European distribution schemes The Tide Experiment and Walk This Way have seen 2016 EU funding injections of €500,000 ($545,000) and €650,000 ($710,000), respectively.
Walk This Way aggregates and promotes films for straight-to-vod distribution in the EU.
In 2015, the network - co-ordinated by industry consortium Under The Milky Way, Europa International and The Film Agency - supported 280 multi-territory releases of independent films.
Sales agents to join the scheme for 2016 include Beta Cinema, Celluloid Dreams, New Europe Film Sales, Protagonist Pictures and The Match Factory. Existing partners include Autlook Film Sales, Gaumont, Pathé, Films Boutique, Films Distribution, Memento Film International and The Yellow Affair.
For its second edition, Walk This Way will help distribute 50 titles in more than 15 territories, which will require the creation of 400 subtitles. According to organisers, each film will be available in an average of eight territories on global and local platforms.
Key titles...
- 1/4/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
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
Diving into the hundreds of new theatrical releases, including large chunks of grueling, gluttonous marathons through world cinema’s greatest offerings from a variety of film festivals, and coming to a reasonable list of selections demonstrating what one deems to be ‘the best,’ remains an utterly self-involved, sometimes fruitless tradition. Who, after all, can rightly determine what is indeed ‘best’ in an art form where one person’s trash is another’s treasure? Personally, I prefer to compile a list of ‘favorite’ things, items which remain meaningless unless you put stock in its author’s general tastes.
Amidst the incessant jabbering of awards season exaggeration, it’s difficult not to be swayed by the most topical, most shiny and brand new theatrical releases courting awards voters (which is why I felt it necessary to see Inarritu’s new film twice). Nearly half of my selections appeared on my mid-year list of favored theatrical releases,...
Amidst the incessant jabbering of awards season exaggeration, it’s difficult not to be swayed by the most topical, most shiny and brand new theatrical releases courting awards voters (which is why I felt it necessary to see Inarritu’s new film twice). Nearly half of my selections appeared on my mid-year list of favored theatrical releases,...
- 12/14/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
It’s holiday gift book time, and our list of must-reads includes weighty coffee table books on two iconic film franchises, some video store nostalgia, the mysteries of David Lynch, a bit of pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens reading, and the brilliance of Terry Gilliam. Check out the recommendations below and see more here.
Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History by Michael Klastorin with Randal Atamaniuk (Harper Design)
Even as a fan of the Back to the Future trilogy, I was a bit taken aback by the hype surrounding October 21, 2015, a.k.a., the date Marty McFly and Doc Brown arrived in the Hill Valley of the future in Back to the Future II. It is only fitting, then, that part of the hype includes the wildly entertaining Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History. Featuring the participation of, well, everyone involved, from...
Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History by Michael Klastorin with Randal Atamaniuk (Harper Design)
Even as a fan of the Back to the Future trilogy, I was a bit taken aback by the hype surrounding October 21, 2015, a.k.a., the date Marty McFly and Doc Brown arrived in the Hill Valley of the future in Back to the Future II. It is only fitting, then, that part of the hype includes the wildly entertaining Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History. Featuring the participation of, well, everyone involved, from...
- 11/19/2015
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
In today's roundup: André Bazin on Chris Marker, "100 women directors Hollywood should be hiring," reviews of Georges Franju's Eyes Without a Face, Jaume Collet-Serra’s Orphan, Peter Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio and Terry Gilliam's new memoir, interviews with Hou Hsiao-hsien, Todd Haynes, Clive Owen (by RZA), Patricia Arquette (by Marc Maron) and Alan Howarth, remembrances of Fred Thompson, José Fonseca e Costa and Steve Gebhardt, plus: Elaine May will make a documentary for PBS about Mike Nichols, while Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth) are adapting stories by Neil Gaiman for British television. And more. » - David Hudson...
- 11/2/2015
- Keyframe
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