Authors — Niki Cruz
-
Five Questions with The Fitzgerald Family Christmas Director Edward Burns
Fifteen years after winning the 1995 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for The Brothers McMullen, Edward Burns proves with The Fitzgerald Family Christmas that you can always return home. In his newest feature film, the Long Island native revisits the joys and trials of an Irish-American working-class family — fertile ground that helped him to stand out as a director and writer of independent film all those years ago. At first, Burns was hesitant to dip again into the well, but The Fitzgerald Family Christmas stands on its own. Two generations of actors with ties to Burns over his 15 years in film reunite […]
by Niki Cruz on Dec 4, 2012 -
Five Questions with Jack & Diane Director Bradley Rust Gray
On the surface, director Bradley Rust Gray’s Jack & Diane tells a typical tale of romance spawning from an immediate attraction. The kinetic chemistry between the title characters (played by Riley Keough and Juno Temple respectively) is reminiscent of the unnerving beat of Gray’s previous directorial effort The Exploding Girl. However, one doesn’t have to look too deep to find the dichotomy between romance and horror that Gray brings to the screen with this experimental film. It’s a pulsing story of two girls who are drawn to each other against an ambient soundtrack of modern beats and ’80s rock. Diane, a flighty […]
by Niki Cruz on Oct 30, 2012 -
Five Questions with Least Among Saints Director Martin Papazian
Martin Papazian has been a working actor for nearly two decades, supporting a list of heavyweights in projects like Jarhead and 24. For Papazian, learning on the sidelines from his colleagues and directors became an essential task, and ultimately has prepared him for his most pivotal role yet — a filmmaker. Working at break-neck speed for a total of 19 shooting days, Papazian made his feature debut as a writer/director with Least Among Saints. The film, in which he is also the lead actor, begins with a soldier returning from war and a boy who’s had to grow up in […]
by Niki Cruz on Oct 9, 2012 -
Five Questions with Liberal Arts Director Josh Radnor
The hurdles of independent filmmaking–or any creative endeavor–don’t end with a successful debut. If anything, the pressure to live up to the expectations on the heels of a breakthrough looms heavier than ever in the dreaded “sophomore slump.” Following Happythankyoumoreplease, Josh Radnor manages to not only avoid said slump, but also seamlessly captures the voice of a generation; floating between idealistic youth and the discontentment of fitting into adulthood. It’s even more impressive when considering that Radnor is already an established actor on his own hit television show. While utilizing his own alma mater, Kenyon College, at the heart of […]
by Niki Cruz on Sep 11, 2012 -
Five Questions with Safety Not Guaranteed Actor Mark Duplass
Mark Duplass is certainly having a banner year. The independent filmmaker’s work ethic is that of a rabid squirrel, frenetically jumping in between the lanes of acting and directing over the years, without ever getting hit with a dud. Since the 2005 indie hit The Puffy Chair, co-directed with his older brother, Jay, Duplass has managed to position himself in front of the camera as well as behind it. This year he has acted in a string of films: Your Sister’s Sister, Darling Companion, the upcoming People Like Us, and Safety Not Guaranteed, a recent hit on the festival circuit. […]
by Niki Cruz on Jun 6, 2012
