Authors — Jason Guerrasio
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TRAILER WATCH: “THE ARTIST”
A big hit at this year’s Cannes, the trailer for Michel Hazanavicius‘ fantastic silent film The Artist is now online. With a great orchestra-heavy score throughout and shot in the silent era’s 1:33 aspect ratio, Hazanavicius stays true to the films of the 1920s. But what makes The Artist stand out (and what the Weinsteins will be banking on come awards season) is the performance by its lead, French actor Jean Dujardin, who won Best Actor at Cannes. With a mix of Valentino and Gene Kelly, Dujardin is phenominal, as you can see in the trailer below. (And the film […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 26, 2011 -
NEW ENDING OF “PARADISE LOST 3” & OLIVER STONE DOC PREMIERES AT NYFF
The Film Society of Lincoln Center has announced more titles to the 49th New York Film Festival, including Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky‘s Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, with the much publicized new ending that surrounds the release of the West Memphis 3 (pictured). Oliver Stone will also have a sneak peak preview of his 10-part documentary for Showtime, The Untold History of the United States, which will air in 2012. Also announced are Masterworks and Special Anniversary screenings. Read the new slate of titles below. NYFF will take place this year Sept. 30 – Oct. 16. See closing night and […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 24, 2011 -
FOCUS LAUNCHES VOD ARM
You may have noticed over on our VOD Calendar the last few months the emergence of Focus Features titles. Though they’ve been quiet about it, Dana Harris at indieWIRE posted yesterday that Focus has in fact started a VOD division called Focus World. The most recent title is the Sundance doc Resurrect Dead. Focus plans to release 8 to 15 straight-to-VOD titles a year. We’ll begin including the Focus World titles in our VOD calendar so be sure to keep an eye out for that.
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 24, 2011 -
KICKSTARTER: “PARIAH” PRODUCER NEKISA COOPER’S “FIVE NIGHTS IN MAINE”
Though her Sundance hit Pariah opens through Focus in the winter, producer Nekisa Cooper hasn’t slowed down as she reached out to us about a project she’s currently getting off the ground through Kickstarter, Five Nights In Maine, directed by Bay Area filmmaker Maris Curran. They are currently trying to raise $40,000. Here’s the synopsis: Sherwin and Fiona are at a crossroads. As an interracial couple living in the south, they seem to have created an idyllic bubble for their love. But after a recent visit to her ailing and prickly mother, Fiona is changed. Suddenly, their relationship is contentious […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 23, 2011 -
TORONTO FEST UNVEILS COMPLETE LINEUP
After multiple announcements of films screening at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival that spanned over several weeks, this morning TIFF completed their 2011 lineup by unveiling the titles in its Masters section, participants in its Maverick series and the works in the Discovery and free sections. See the complete list of films and fest schedule at the TIFF website. Totaling 268 features and 68 shorts, TIFF 2011 will have 123 world debuts from 65 countries. 13 films will screen in the Masters section, including Wim Wenders‘ Pina and Jafar Panahi‘s This is Not a Film. TIFF’s Maverick series, which […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 23, 2011 -
GUS VAN SANT RETROSPECTIVE AT MUSEUM OF MOVING IMAGE
With his 14th feature, Restless, slated for release on Sept. 16, the Museum of the Moving Image in NYC has announced a retrospective of Gus Van Sant‘s work running Sept. 9-30 with the director on hand for a screening of Restless on Sept. 14. Everything from his debut feature, Mala Noche, to his experimental “Death Trilogy” (Gerry, Elephant and Last Days) to his more commercial successes like Good Will Hunting and Milk (even his less successful shot-for-shot remake of Psycho) will be screened. This is certainly a can’t miss for Van Sant fans and film lovers alike. Most screenings are […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 22, 2011 -
ENDING CHANGE FOR LATEST “WEST MEMPHIS 3” DOC
In news that developed Thursday night, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley Jr. and Jason Baldwin, also known as the “West Memphis 3,” could be freed later today after spending over 18 years in prison for the charge of murdering three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993, though strong evidence over the years has pointed to their innocence. UPDATE: “West Memphis 3” have been set free. The subjects of Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky‘s landmark Paradise Lost documentaries, the filmmaker’s latest, Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, will premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and as its synopsis on the […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 19, 2011 -
“MIDNIGHT IN PARIS” SET TO EXPAND
What better way to celebrate the surprising success of Woody Allen‘s latest film, Midnight in Paris, but to take a victory lap. The 75-year-old filmmaker’s highest grossing film in the U.S. with $49.9 million ($83 million worldwide), is getting another go-around in theaters starting Aug. 26. Sony Pictures Classics announced yesterday that the film will play in an additional 500 to 600 theaters from the 400 it’s currently at now. The film opened May 20th. But this is most likely not the swan song for Allen’s nostalgic journey through Paris’ past, as Oscar talk on the film and its writer-director […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 18, 2011 -
NYFF ANNOUNCES CLOSING NIGHT FILM & MAIN SLATE
The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today that Alexander Payne‘s The Descendants (pictured) will be the closing night film for this year’s New York Film Festival. NYFF’s main slate was also unveiled and includes David Cronenberg‘s A Dangerous Method and Pedro Almodóvar‘s The Skin I Live In, which both will be screened as special gala presentations; Simon Curtis‘ My Week With Marilyn, which will have a centerpiece screening; and Roman Polanski‘s Carnage, which will open the fest. Read the complete lineup below. NYFF’s 49th edition will take place Sept. 30 – Oct. 16. General public tickets will become available […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 17, 2011 -
Criterion: The Killing
It’s extremely difficult to type the words “my favorite Kubrick film” because I honestly feel I could put that down while writing about any of them. But what I can say about Stanley Kubrick’s Hollywood calling card The Killing is it’s the one film of his that I’m most nostalgic about. Film noir. Jim Thompson’s words. Sterling Hayden’s “when men were men” bravado. The contract studio picture was on the way out and the New Hollywood of Bogdanovich, Ashby and Nichols were breaking down the doors. But before that (and likely escalating the emergence of New Hollywood) there was Kubrick. […]
by Jason Guerrasio on Aug 16, 2011
