The Force may be with U.K. cinemas, which will receive a boost from the remastered 4K edition Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back as they re-open their doors this July. Disney is screening The Empire Strikes Back 4K edition for U.K. audiences as the country’s theaters open as part of the government’s economic recovery plan. This will mark the […]
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The post ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ Will be Re-Released in 4K to Help Re-Open U.K. Cinemas appeared first on /Film.
- 6/18/2020
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
Joining Peter Nicks’ “The Force” in the emerging sub-genre of “documentaries about police reform that illustrate the utter futility of reforming the police,” Deirdre Fishel’s “Women in Blue” takes viewers deep inside the Minneapolis Police Department during the tumultuous years leading up to the murder of George Floyd. Like Nicks, Fishel was drawn to her subject because of the hope represented by a progressive chief of police; in this case Janée Harteau, the first woman to head the Mpd in its long history (and an openly gay Native American woman at that).
Unlike Nicks, however, Fishel embeds herself behind the blue wall of silence with a particular hypothesis — female leadership might help detoxify the culture of violence that churns inside America’s police departments — and the sheer whiteness of that approach blinds her to a fact that would’ve become even more obvious had she just kept filming for...
Unlike Nicks, however, Fishel embeds herself behind the blue wall of silence with a particular hypothesis — female leadership might help detoxify the culture of violence that churns inside America’s police departments — and the sheer whiteness of that approach blinds her to a fact that would’ve become even more obvious had she just kept filming for...
- 6/17/2020
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Joining Peter Nicks’ “The Force” in the emerging sub-genre of “documentaries about police reform that illustrate the utter futility of reforming the police,” Deirdre Fishel’s “Women in Blue” takes viewers deep inside the Minneapolis Police Department during the tumultuous years leading up to the murder of George Floyd. Like Nicks, Fishel was drawn to her subject because of the hope represented by a progressive chief of police; in this case Janée Harteau, the first woman to head the Mpd in its long history (and an openly gay Native American woman at that).
Unlike Nicks, however, Fishel embeds herself behind the blue wall of silence with a particular hypothesis — female leadership might help detoxify the culture of violence that churns inside America’s police departments — and the sheer whiteness of that approach blinds her to a fact that would’ve become even more obvious had she just kept filming for...
Unlike Nicks, however, Fishel embeds herself behind the blue wall of silence with a particular hypothesis — female leadership might help detoxify the culture of violence that churns inside America’s police departments — and the sheer whiteness of that approach blinds her to a fact that would’ve become even more obvious had she just kept filming for...
- 6/17/2020
- by David Ehrlich
- Thompson on Hollywood
In Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars fans learned that Anakin’s mother was a slave on Tatooine named Shmi and his father was… well, it was never made clear. It’s been said that he was a product of The Force or Midi-chlorians. One thing that was made clear, though, is that “there was no father.”
Well, we’ve now learned how exactly Anakin was conceived and who his father really was. This fascinating new information comes from Marvel Comics’ Darth Vader No. 25.
In it, Darth Vader unlocks a portal to the afterlife, in the hopes of resurrecting his dead wife, Padmé. During this event, he is shown glimpses of his journey toward the dark side and at one point he sees his mom Shmi and the ghostly figure of Darth Sidious, a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine, behind her, using the dark side of the Force to impregnate her.
Well, we’ve now learned how exactly Anakin was conceived and who his father really was. This fascinating new information comes from Marvel Comics’ Darth Vader No. 25.
In it, Darth Vader unlocks a portal to the afterlife, in the hopes of resurrecting his dead wife, Padmé. During this event, he is shown glimpses of his journey toward the dark side and at one point he sees his mom Shmi and the ghostly figure of Darth Sidious, a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine, behind her, using the dark side of the Force to impregnate her.
- 12/28/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Qui-Gon Jinn’s involvement in the Skywalker Saga may not extend beyond his screen time in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but in finding the young Anakin and introducing him to his Jedi friends, Liam Neeson’s character played a crucial role in setting the story in motion, for better or worse.
But while it’s tempting, and perhaps only right, to place some of the blame for the rise of Darth Vader and the Empire on Obi-Wan Kenobi’s master, the new Star Wars: Age of Republic – Qui-Gon Jinn comic suggests that our hero may not have been as oblivious to the risks he was taking as we previously thought.
A new piece from Screen Rant observes how the comic tells the story of Qui-Gon’s quest to a distant world where he seeks to rediscover the true nature of The Force. Here he comes to grasp the notion of “balance,...
But while it’s tempting, and perhaps only right, to place some of the blame for the rise of Darth Vader and the Empire on Obi-Wan Kenobi’s master, the new Star Wars: Age of Republic – Qui-Gon Jinn comic suggests that our hero may not have been as oblivious to the risks he was taking as we previously thought.
A new piece from Screen Rant observes how the comic tells the story of Qui-Gon’s quest to a distant world where he seeks to rediscover the true nature of The Force. Here he comes to grasp the notion of “balance,...
- 12/14/2018
- by David Pountain
- We Got This Covered
After sharing an Oscar nomination for “Logan,” James Mangold and Scott Frank are reuniting to work on the film adaptation of Don Winslow‘s crime novel, “The Force.” Frank and Mangold earned Best Adapted Screenplay nominations for their unique story about former X-Man, Wolverine. Now the writing pair is revisiting the noir aspects of their aforementioned film with a new adaptation, with Mangold also serving as director.
- 3/16/2018
- by Julia Teti
- The Playlist
After making history with their Oscar-nominated script for Logan, director James Mangold and co-writer Scott Frank are joining forces again, according to Deadline. In fact, they're re-teaming for a movie called The Force. No, it's not another Star Wars story. The Force is an adaptation of the highly acclaimed and best-selling 2017 novel by Don Winslow (Savages). Frank is currently rewriting the script, which previously was in the hands of David Mamet. Mangold had already been involved, since a year ago, working with producers Ridley Scott, Shane Salerno (Savages) and Kevin J. Walsh (Manchester by the Sea), and 20th Century Fox has a release date in place for less than a year from now. Mangold is no stranger to the subject of...
- 3/16/2018
- by Christopher Campbell
- Movies.com
The Logan team of James Mangold and Scott Frank are getting together again for The Force. The film is based on the novel by Don Winslow about a team of corrupt NYPD cops. More on The Force movie below. Screenwriter Scott Frank’s work on Logan resulted in the first Best Screenplay Academy Award nomination for a superhero movie. Now, Frank […]
The post ‘Logan’ Filmmakers Reunite for ‘The Force’ Movie appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Logan’ Filmmakers Reunite for ‘The Force’ Movie appeared first on /Film.
- 3/15/2018
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Mark Hamill just made one little girl a Star Wars fan for life.
The actor, who received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, alleviated the concerns of a worried mother after she tweeted about her young daughter being too scared to wear a Star Wars shirt at school because she thought her classmates would make fun of her for liking films geared toward boys.
“My 7-year-old daughter’s crying in bed right now because she wants to wear her Star Wars t-shirt to school but is scared her classmates will laugh because she likes ‘boy stuff...
The actor, who received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, alleviated the concerns of a worried mother after she tweeted about her young daughter being too scared to wear a Star Wars shirt at school because she thought her classmates would make fun of her for liking films geared toward boys.
“My 7-year-old daughter’s crying in bed right now because she wants to wear her Star Wars t-shirt to school but is scared her classmates will laugh because she likes ‘boy stuff...
- 3/9/2018
- by Alexia Fernandez
- PEOPLE.com
David Mamet, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of “Glengarry Glen Ross,” has written a play about Harvey Weinstein. The play, Mamet said in an interview with The Chicago Tribune (via Variety), is called “Bitter Wheat.” The subject was suggested to Mamet by an unnamed theater producer. “I was talking with my Broadway producer and he said, ‘Why don’t you write a play about Harvey Weinstein?’ And so I did,” Mamet said.
According to The Tribune, “a Chicago stage legend who is now a movie star” has expressed interest in the lead role (presumably the Weinstein character), which could be “Lady Bird” star Tracy Letts. No timeline has been set for production, nor did Mamet say how much the play would address #MeToo.
“Every society has to confront the ungovernable genie of sexuality and tries various ways to deal with it and none of them work very well. There is great...
According to The Tribune, “a Chicago stage legend who is now a movie star” has expressed interest in the lead role (presumably the Weinstein character), which could be “Lady Bird” star Tracy Letts. No timeline has been set for production, nor did Mamet say how much the play would address #MeToo.
“Every society has to confront the ungovernable genie of sexuality and tries various ways to deal with it and none of them work very well. There is great...
- 2/23/2018
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
J.J. Abrams says “Star Wars: Episode IX” is coming together nicely. Related: J.J. Abrams Says ‘Star Wars’ Fanboys Who Complained About ‘The Last Jedi’ Are ‘Threatened By Women’ The director appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Wednesday to talk about working on the sci-fi saga. “I was terrified,” he said of directing “The Force...
- 2/22/2018
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Sometimes it takes an outsider perspective to reveal deeper truths about a country’s most shameful issues. For her second feature and English-language debut, Turkish director Deniz Gamze Ergüven set her sights on the notorious L.A. riots in the summer of 1992. Widely praised for her standout debut, “Mustang,” Ergüven attracted the likes of Halle Berry and Daniel Craig for her follow-up, which released a first trailer in anticipation of its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Berry plays a tough but protective foster mother living in South Central L.A. during the weeks leading up to the announcement of the Rodney King verdict. Craig plays one of South Central’s only white residents, who helps Berry’s character track down the kids during the demonstrations. With tensions high on all fronts, the two also grapple with their feelings for one another. Craig and Berry lead a cast of...
Berry plays a tough but protective foster mother living in South Central L.A. during the weeks leading up to the announcement of the Rodney King verdict. Craig plays one of South Central’s only white residents, who helps Berry’s character track down the kids during the demonstrations. With tensions high on all fronts, the two also grapple with their feelings for one another. Craig and Berry lead a cast of...
- 2/20/2018
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Author: Zehra Phelan
Logan’s James Mangold is putting his Wolverine mantel to one side to get into the driving seat of the currently untitled true story about the race to build the fastest supercar between Ford and Ferrari.
Casting is yet to be completed but the likes of Christian Bale and Matt Damon are being eyed to play the roles of sports car racing engineer and driver best known for his motorsport career in the USA, Ken Miles and American automotive designer, racing driver, and entrepreneur, Caroll Shelby.
The script will be written by Edge of Tomorrow’s John-Henry and Jez Butterworth and will focus on an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby and his British driver Ken Miles.
The team are dispatched by Henry Ford II to build an entirely new automobile with the potential to defeat the perennially dominant...
Logan’s James Mangold is putting his Wolverine mantel to one side to get into the driving seat of the currently untitled true story about the race to build the fastest supercar between Ford and Ferrari.
Casting is yet to be completed but the likes of Christian Bale and Matt Damon are being eyed to play the roles of sports car racing engineer and driver best known for his motorsport career in the USA, Ken Miles and American automotive designer, racing driver, and entrepreneur, Caroll Shelby.
The script will be written by Edge of Tomorrow’s John-Henry and Jez Butterworth and will focus on an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby and his British driver Ken Miles.
The team are dispatched by Henry Ford II to build an entirely new automobile with the potential to defeat the perennially dominant...
- 2/6/2018
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
by Glenn Dunks
It’s not surprising that the spectre of the Los Angeles riots of 1992 has loomed large over documentary filmmaking this year. Emerging out from shadow of O.J. Simpson, whose story was everywhere in 2016, the 25th anniversary of this monumental moment in American history has been the focus of not just (by my count) five feature documentaries, but has also felt like an integral part of more contemporary films like Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis’ Whose Streets, Yance Ford’s Strong Island, and Peter Nicks’ The Force.
It would make sense then that these films, which largely pull from many of the same archival footage sources, might be in danger of working against one another. Dampening their urgency and their power simply by being too numerous.
However, at least in the case of Dan Lindsay and Tj Miller’s La 92 and John Ridley’s Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992,...
It’s not surprising that the spectre of the Los Angeles riots of 1992 has loomed large over documentary filmmaking this year. Emerging out from shadow of O.J. Simpson, whose story was everywhere in 2016, the 25th anniversary of this monumental moment in American history has been the focus of not just (by my count) five feature documentaries, but has also felt like an integral part of more contemporary films like Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis’ Whose Streets, Yance Ford’s Strong Island, and Peter Nicks’ The Force.
It would make sense then that these films, which largely pull from many of the same archival footage sources, might be in danger of working against one another. Dampening their urgency and their power simply by being too numerous.
However, at least in the case of Dan Lindsay and Tj Miller’s La 92 and John Ridley’s Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992,...
- 12/5/2017
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
At the San Francisco Film Society’s Doc Stories, Samantha Power — aka President Barack Obama’s U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations — is a true star. “What a crowd,” she tweeted after a rousing standing ovation for Greg Barker’s HBO documentary “The Final Year,” which features her as part of Obama’s foreign policy team. “Huge thanks to SFFilm Doc Stories & to an incredibly engaged San Francisco audience who saw @thefinalyeardoc not as a retrospective, but as a call to action.”
The third annual Doc Stories (Nov. 2-5) was a rich weekend of nonfiction features and shorts that launched with the world premiere of Alex Gibney’s “Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge, Part I” (HBO) and closed with Chris Smith’s “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton” (Netflix).
It’s part of Sffilm executive director Noah Cowan’s...
The third annual Doc Stories (Nov. 2-5) was a rich weekend of nonfiction features and shorts that launched with the world premiere of Alex Gibney’s “Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge, Part I” (HBO) and closed with Chris Smith’s “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton” (Netflix).
It’s part of Sffilm executive director Noah Cowan’s...
- 11/6/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
At the San Francisco Film Society’s Doc Stories, Samantha Power — aka President Barack Obama’s U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations — is a true star. “What a crowd,” she tweeted after a rousing standing ovation for Greg Barker’s HBO documentary “The Final Year,” which features her as part of Obama’s foreign policy team. “Huge thanks to SFFilm Doc Stories & to an incredibly engaged San Francisco audience who saw @thefinalyeardoc not as a retrospective, but as a call to action.”
The third annual Doc Stories (Nov. 2-5) was a rich weekend of nonfiction features and shorts that launched with the world premiere of Alex Gibney’s “Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge, Part I” (HBO) and closed with Chris Smith’s “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton” (Netflix).
It’s part of Sffilm executive director Noah Cowan’s...
The third annual Doc Stories (Nov. 2-5) was a rich weekend of nonfiction features and shorts that launched with the world premiere of Alex Gibney’s “Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge, Part I” (HBO) and closed with Chris Smith’s “Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton” (Netflix).
It’s part of Sffilm executive director Noah Cowan’s...
- 11/6/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has announced its 15-film Short List of Oscar contenders along with its opening-night selection, “The Final Year,” in which Greg Barker follows key members of Barack Obama’s administration during their last year in office. The festival runs November 9-16.
Thom Powers, Doc NYC’s artistic director as well as documentary programmer for Tiff, oversees curation of the Short List of films that may be in the running for the Academy Award for Best Documentary feature. This year contains a spectrum of funders and distributors, including four from Netflix — and none from HBO.
Historically, most Doc NYC picks do land on the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. For the past four years, the Short List had nine to 10 titles overlap, with four or five titles going on to Oscar nominations. For the last six years, Doc NYC screened the documentary that...
Thom Powers, Doc NYC’s artistic director as well as documentary programmer for Tiff, oversees curation of the Short List of films that may be in the running for the Academy Award for Best Documentary feature. This year contains a spectrum of funders and distributors, including four from Netflix — and none from HBO.
Historically, most Doc NYC picks do land on the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. For the past four years, the Short List had nine to 10 titles overlap, with four or five titles going on to Oscar nominations. For the last six years, Doc NYC screened the documentary that...
- 9/28/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Doc NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, has announced its 15-film Short List of Oscar contenders along with its opening-night selection, “The Final Year,” in which Greg Barker follows key members of Barack Obama’s administration during their last year in office. The festival runs November 9-16.
Thom Powers, Doc NYC’s artistic director as well as documentary programmer for Tiff, oversees curation of the Short List of films that may be in the running for the Academy Award for Best Documentary feature. This year contains a spectrum of funders and distributors, including four from Netflix — and none from HBO.
Historically, most Doc NYC picks do land on the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. For the past four years, the Short List had nine to 10 titles overlap, with four or five titles going on to Oscar nominations. For the last six years, Doc NYC screened the documentary that...
Thom Powers, Doc NYC’s artistic director as well as documentary programmer for Tiff, oversees curation of the Short List of films that may be in the running for the Academy Award for Best Documentary feature. This year contains a spectrum of funders and distributors, including four from Netflix — and none from HBO.
Historically, most Doc NYC picks do land on the Academy’s official 15-film Oscar Short List. For the past four years, the Short List had nine to 10 titles overlap, with four or five titles going on to Oscar nominations. For the last six years, Doc NYC screened the documentary that...
- 9/28/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Since its inception, the award given to the best documentary director at the annual Sundance Film Festival has seen a who’s who of documentary auteurs. Be it Errol Morris for a film like A Brief History Of Time or Morgan Spurlock for Supersize Me, the award, in all of its various iterations, has helped spark the careers of some true non-fiction film making titans.
After The Force, director Peter Nicks is absolutely one of them. Previously known for the underrated The Waiting Room, Nicks is back with The Force, and it’s a stark change in pace for the filmmaker.
Inspired in many ways by the films of Fredrick Wiseman, Nicks’ latest film is classical cinema verite. The film introduces us to the Oakland Police Department, which at the start of 2014, was in the middle of ever increasing controversy. Itself a the A1 example of the modern state of policing,...
After The Force, director Peter Nicks is absolutely one of them. Previously known for the underrated The Waiting Room, Nicks is back with The Force, and it’s a stark change in pace for the filmmaker.
Inspired in many ways by the films of Fredrick Wiseman, Nicks’ latest film is classical cinema verite. The film introduces us to the Oakland Police Department, which at the start of 2014, was in the middle of ever increasing controversy. Itself a the A1 example of the modern state of policing,...
- 9/22/2017
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
If you’ve already read our comprehensive, three-part fall-movie preview totaling 80 films, then you already have a strong sense of what will be included in this monthly round-up, but as new titles make their way to release calendars and our reviews come in, things will certainly shift. This month features the kick-off of fall film festivals, including Venice, Tiff, and Nyff, so check back for our coverage from each.
In the meantime, check out our recommendations of new releases below. It should be noted that this weekend, a 40th-anniversary restoration of Close Encounters of the Third Kind will get a nationwide release, thus proving to be the best option in an otherwise scarce lineup.
15. It (Andrés Muschietti; Sept. 8)
Synopsis: A group of bullied kids band together when a monster, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Following The Dark Tower, the next...
In the meantime, check out our recommendations of new releases below. It should be noted that this weekend, a 40th-anniversary restoration of Close Encounters of the Third Kind will get a nationwide release, thus proving to be the best option in an otherwise scarce lineup.
15. It (Andrés Muschietti; Sept. 8)
Synopsis: A group of bullied kids band together when a monster, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.
Trailer
Why You Should See It: Following The Dark Tower, the next...
- 8/31/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
It's September: The young 'uns are back in school, going outside doesn't mean you'll automatically sweat through half your clothes and the movies bounce back from the annual August lull. Translation: Darren Aronofsky and Jennifer Lawrence invite you to a casual gathering from hell; a gruesome Stephen King adaptation gets served up; the kids get a new Lego movie (this time it's Ninjago!); and Jake Gyllenhaal plays a real-life hero and does a Boston accent, which must mean the awards-circuit season is starting up. Here are your 10 best reasons to...
- 8/30/2017
- Rollingstone.com
As summer cools down, we’re entering perhaps the best time of year for cinephiles, with a variety of festivals — some of which will hold premieres of our most-anticipated 2017 features — gearing up. As we do each year, after highlighting the best films offered thus far, we’ve set out to provide a comprehensive preview of the fall titles that should be on your radar, and we’ll first take a look at selections whose quality we can attest to. These acclaimed 25 films from Sundance, Cannes, Berlinale and more will arrive between September and December (in the U.S.) and are all well worth seeking out.
Kill Me Please (Anita Rocha da Silveira; Sept. 1)
Following in a wave of cerebral psychological horror films such as The Witch, It Follows, and The Babadook, Anita Rocha da Silveira’s debut Kill Me Please is the latest art-horror film that’s concerned with the internal repercussions of trauma.
Kill Me Please (Anita Rocha da Silveira; Sept. 1)
Following in a wave of cerebral psychological horror films such as The Witch, It Follows, and The Babadook, Anita Rocha da Silveira’s debut Kill Me Please is the latest art-horror film that’s concerned with the internal repercussions of trauma.
- 8/23/2017
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
As the rallying cries for reform when it comes to policing in this country get louder by the day, one filmmaker is diving into the middle of the issue. Peter Nicks’ The Force goes deep inside the Oakland Police Department and the results look to be a gripping, unsensationalized document. Winner of the Director’s Prize at this year’s Sundance in its U.S. Documentary category, the first trailer has now arrived ahead of a September release.
“Some of the footage brings to mind Fox’s Cops, as we follow officers on the beat as they answer routine calls,” we said in our review. “Lawrence Lerew’s editing never stylizes the material, allowing the footage to speak for itself, cutting only for emotional impact. When we see officer’s body-cam footage, it’s garbled and choppy, seemingly filming at a rate of about two frames-per-second. What happens in that...
“Some of the footage brings to mind Fox’s Cops, as we follow officers on the beat as they answer routine calls,” we said in our review. “Lawrence Lerew’s editing never stylizes the material, allowing the footage to speak for itself, cutting only for emotional impact. When we see officer’s body-cam footage, it’s garbled and choppy, seemingly filming at a rate of about two frames-per-second. What happens in that...
- 7/27/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"I don't want bad cops here, period." Kino Lorber has revealed the first official trailer for the documentary titled The Force, examining the police crisis in America at the moment. The film actually focuses on the police themselves, going inside an "embattled urban police department struggling to rebuild trust in one of America's most violent yet promising cities." The police they're profiling is the Oakland Police Department, and the storyline in the doc follows three different threads - one about the young police chief, another about new recruits in the Academy, and another about officers in the field facing increased hostility. The Force won Best Director at the Sundance Film Festival, and won Best Bay Area Documentary at the San Francisco Film Festival. This is an excellent trailer for a doc, really pulls you in and makes you feel for what's at stake. Here's the first official trailer for Peter Nicks' documentary The Force,...
- 7/26/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It doesn’t need to be said that we’re in the middle of ongoing conversations at the moment about the relationship between the police and public, particularly when it comes to minorities. That’s just one element that makes “The Force” essential viewing. The latest from director Peter Nicks won the Directing Award in the Documentary category at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and now it’s headed to cinemas.
Continue reading ‘The Force’ Trailer: Sundance Winning Documentary Explores The Oakland Police Department at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Force’ Trailer: Sundance Winning Documentary Explores The Oakland Police Department at The Playlist.
- 7/26/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
In the wake of the events in Ferguson, Missouri in the summer of 2014, many other embattled police department struggled to change in the face of continuous outcry for reform and transparency. In Peter Nicks’ “The Force,” that department at hand is the Oakland Police Department, a long-troubled organization that was nearly felled by its own scandals.
Read More‘Dolores’ Trailer: Feminist Pioneer Dolores Huerta Finally Gets Her Due in Peter Bratt’s Wide-Ranging Documentary
Nicks’ cinema vérité look inside the department follows the Oakland police as they attempt to positively change both their public face and their internal politics in the wake of a shocking scandal and a growing demands from various movements around the country. Nicks’ documentary doesn’t judge, instead offering up a deep dive look inside the department and its ongoing problems and attempts to change them, putting the onus on the viewer to decide where they fall.
Read More‘Dolores’ Trailer: Feminist Pioneer Dolores Huerta Finally Gets Her Due in Peter Bratt’s Wide-Ranging Documentary
Nicks’ cinema vérité look inside the department follows the Oakland police as they attempt to positively change both their public face and their internal politics in the wake of a shocking scandal and a growing demands from various movements around the country. Nicks’ documentary doesn’t judge, instead offering up a deep dive look inside the department and its ongoing problems and attempts to change them, putting the onus on the viewer to decide where they fall.
- 7/26/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Getting out early can be an advantage in the documentary race, which is often front loaded at January’s Sundance Film Festival. While a raft of movies made their mark, the question is which ones can sustain support through the end of the year.
Among that festival’s breakouts were three Syria documentaries. Daring and timely “City of Ghosts” (July 14, A & E/Amazon Studios), which is Matthew Heineman’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated border drug war thriller “Cartel Land,” will get a major push. Any footage from Syria came from the fearless Raqqa journalists he tracked through Turkey and Germany, where they discover that they are not necessarily safe — anywhere.
It remains to be seen if there will be room for more than one Syrian documentary. HBO Documentary Films is forgoing Emmy consideration for “Winter on Fire” nominee Evgeny Afineevsky’s harrowing “Cries From Syria” (March 10, HBO), planning an Oscar push this fall.
Among that festival’s breakouts were three Syria documentaries. Daring and timely “City of Ghosts” (July 14, A & E/Amazon Studios), which is Matthew Heineman’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated border drug war thriller “Cartel Land,” will get a major push. Any footage from Syria came from the fearless Raqqa journalists he tracked through Turkey and Germany, where they discover that they are not necessarily safe — anywhere.
It remains to be seen if there will be room for more than one Syrian documentary. HBO Documentary Films is forgoing Emmy consideration for “Winter on Fire” nominee Evgeny Afineevsky’s harrowing “Cries From Syria” (March 10, HBO), planning an Oscar push this fall.
- 7/5/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– Netflix has acquired the worldwide Svod rights to Drake Doremus’ “Newness,” Deadline reports. The film stars Nicholas Hoult and Laia Costa as a couple in contemporary Los Angeles navigating the world of online dating and social media–driven hookup culture. The film was a last-minute addition to the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and co-stars Matthew Gray Gubler, Courtney Eaton, Danny Huston and Courtney Eaton. Netflix acquired the rights in a reported seven-figure deal.
– Gravitas Ventures has acquired writer-director Angus MacLachlan’s second feature film, “Abundant Acreage Available.” The film premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay Award in the U.S. Narrative Competition. The film focuses on siblings Tracy (Amy Ryan) and Jesse...
– Netflix has acquired the worldwide Svod rights to Drake Doremus’ “Newness,” Deadline reports. The film stars Nicholas Hoult and Laia Costa as a couple in contemporary Los Angeles navigating the world of online dating and social media–driven hookup culture. The film was a last-minute addition to the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, and co-stars Matthew Gray Gubler, Courtney Eaton, Danny Huston and Courtney Eaton. Netflix acquired the rights in a reported seven-figure deal.
– Gravitas Ventures has acquired writer-director Angus MacLachlan’s second feature film, “Abundant Acreage Available.” The film premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay Award in the U.S. Narrative Competition. The film focuses on siblings Tracy (Amy Ryan) and Jesse...
- 6/16/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
In 2003, the Oakland Police Department found themselves placed under federal oversight for charges of misconduct and civil rights abuses. Oakland Pd’s deplorable reputation spans the last thirty years, that of a department totally unwilling to treat its citizens with respect. The Force, an engrossing new documentary from director Peter Nicks, peeks behind the scenes of this controversial police department. Cameras followed on-duty officers for two years, 2014 to 2016, documenting not only their interactions with Oakland citizens, but also their private administrative meetings behind closed doors.
As police departments across the United States encounter sickening accusations of officer brutality and unlawful shootings of unarmed black suspects, Oakland Pd, led by Chief Sean Whent, attempts to set an example for other cities. Meanwhile, the Black Lives Matter movement rightly scrutinizes their every move with a magnifying glass.
Nicks’ absorbing documentary opens with a hopeful, but fleeting breeze: since 2014, under camera surveillance during on-duty hours,...
As police departments across the United States encounter sickening accusations of officer brutality and unlawful shootings of unarmed black suspects, Oakland Pd, led by Chief Sean Whent, attempts to set an example for other cities. Meanwhile, the Black Lives Matter movement rightly scrutinizes their every move with a magnifying glass.
Nicks’ absorbing documentary opens with a hopeful, but fleeting breeze: since 2014, under camera surveillance during on-duty hours,...
- 6/15/2017
- by Tony Hinds
- The Film Stage
If one wants to experience the best independent cinema the year has to offer this summer, one of your best bets is the well-curated line-up at Brooklyn’s BAMcinémaFest. They’ve now unveiled this year’s slate for the festival running from June 14-25, including some of of my favorite films of the year thus far (A Ghost Story, Golden Exits, Columbus, Marjorie Prime, and Landline) as well as highly-anticipated others (the SXSW hit Gemini and Stephen Cone‘s Princess Cyd come to mind).
“I’m incredibly proud of the program our team has put together,” says Gina Duncan, Associate Vice President, Cinema. “From the endearing comedy The Big Sick to the micro-budget Princess Cyd and Lemon, the audacious first feature from Janicza Bravo, the line-up truly reflects the breadth of American independent cinema today. Other highlights include the world premiere of Jim McKay’s, En el Séptimo Día an...
“I’m incredibly proud of the program our team has put together,” says Gina Duncan, Associate Vice President, Cinema. “From the endearing comedy The Big Sick to the micro-budget Princess Cyd and Lemon, the audacious first feature from Janicza Bravo, the line-up truly reflects the breadth of American independent cinema today. Other highlights include the world premiere of Jim McKay’s, En el Séptimo Día an...
- 5/4/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Winners in 21 categories announced as festival heads into final days.
Sffilm has announced the winners of the Golden Gate Award competitions at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival, which concludes on Wednesday.
The festival awarded close to $40,000 in prizes to new and established filmmakers for “embodying Sffilm’s commitment to global storytelling and independent filmmaking.”
Natalia Almada won the New Directors Award for Everything Else, and Viktor Jakovleski was awarded the Documentary Feature Award for Brimstone & Glory.
Both directors received $10,000 in prize money.
Peter Nicks was awarded the Bay Area Documentary Feature Award for The Force and receives $5,000.
Seven short films received awards and prize money, including Best Narrative Short winner Univitellin from Terence Nance, and Best Documentary Short winner The Rabbit Hunt by Patrick X Bresnan. Both receive $2,000.
The Sffilm Festival runs until April 19. For a full list of prize-winners click here.
Sffilm has announced the winners of the Golden Gate Award competitions at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival, which concludes on Wednesday.
The festival awarded close to $40,000 in prizes to new and established filmmakers for “embodying Sffilm’s commitment to global storytelling and independent filmmaking.”
Natalia Almada won the New Directors Award for Everything Else, and Viktor Jakovleski was awarded the Documentary Feature Award for Brimstone & Glory.
Both directors received $10,000 in prize money.
Peter Nicks was awarded the Bay Area Documentary Feature Award for The Force and receives $5,000.
Seven short films received awards and prize money, including Best Narrative Short winner Univitellin from Terence Nance, and Best Documentary Short winner The Rabbit Hunt by Patrick X Bresnan. Both receive $2,000.
The Sffilm Festival runs until April 19. For a full list of prize-winners click here.
- 4/17/2017
- ScreenDaily
Over the last seven years, The San Francisco Film Society (now known simply at Sffilm) has become one the largest nonprofit supporters of independent and documentary film having doled out over $800,000 to individual films in 2016. With targeted and flexible filmmaking grants the SFFilm Maker program has been able to give individual films a significant financial boost when they need it most – ranging from before the script is written all the way to the sound mix.
Read More: San Francisco’s Master Plan to Keep Film Relevant In the 21st Century — Sf International Film Festival
Having played a critical role in successful films like “Short Term 12,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and “Fruitvale Station” getting made, Sffs’s support has also come to signal to the rest of the film world that a project is worth tracking.
However, the film society’s mission goes beyond being a key cog in...
Read More: San Francisco’s Master Plan to Keep Film Relevant In the 21st Century — Sf International Film Festival
Having played a critical role in successful films like “Short Term 12,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and “Fruitvale Station” getting made, Sffs’s support has also come to signal to the rest of the film world that a project is worth tracking.
However, the film society’s mission goes beyond being a key cog in...
- 4/6/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
The San Francisco Film Society has announced today that the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival’s anticipated Centerpiece event will be “Patti Cake$,” from first-time feature director Geremy Jasper. The film bowed at Sundance in January, featuring a star-making turn from Danielle Macdonald as the eponymous rapper Patricia “Patti Cake$” Dombrowski.
The film was purchased at the festival by Fox Searchlight, who paid a healthy $9.5 million for the feature. “Patti Cake$” was a Spring 2014 Sf Film Society / Krf Filmmaking Grant winner.
“We are thrilled that Patti Cake$,’ a film we supported in partnership with Kenneth Rainin Foundation, will be the Festival’s Centerpiece,” said Noah Cowan, Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society. “The film is not only hugely entertaining, with great music and spectacular performances, but also deftly addresses issues of great importance in our current political climate, from the harsh social conditions faced by working-class families...
The film was purchased at the festival by Fox Searchlight, who paid a healthy $9.5 million for the feature. “Patti Cake$” was a Spring 2014 Sf Film Society / Krf Filmmaking Grant winner.
“We are thrilled that Patti Cake$,’ a film we supported in partnership with Kenneth Rainin Foundation, will be the Festival’s Centerpiece,” said Noah Cowan, Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society. “The film is not only hugely entertaining, with great music and spectacular performances, but also deftly addresses issues of great importance in our current political climate, from the harsh social conditions faced by working-class families...
- 3/1/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The documentary festival is also launching a fifth competition strand at its 2017 edition.
Scandi documentary festival Cph:dox (Mar 16-26) has unveiled the films in its usual four competitions as well as introducing a new competition section.
World premieres announced across the competitions include Bridgend director Jeppe Rønde’s The John Dalli Mystery [pictured], a Kafkaesque story with Mikael Bertelsen and Mads Brügger; Do Donkeys Act?, a film about unruly donkeys narrated by Willem Dafoe; Accidental Anarchist, about the British former diplomat Carne Ross who has transformed into an anarchist; Sigrid Dyekjær’s A Modern Man, about violinist and model Charlie Siem; and Ben Rivers’ Urth, about the failed ecosystem Biosphere 2.0 in Arizona.
Read Screen’s festival preview here.
Other high profile documentaries to screen at the event include Matthew Heineman’s Cartel Land follow up City Of Ghosts.
New competition Next:wave is launched to highlight international emerging talents “who have the courage to take chances and stand out.”
The...
Scandi documentary festival Cph:dox (Mar 16-26) has unveiled the films in its usual four competitions as well as introducing a new competition section.
World premieres announced across the competitions include Bridgend director Jeppe Rønde’s The John Dalli Mystery [pictured], a Kafkaesque story with Mikael Bertelsen and Mads Brügger; Do Donkeys Act?, a film about unruly donkeys narrated by Willem Dafoe; Accidental Anarchist, about the British former diplomat Carne Ross who has transformed into an anarchist; Sigrid Dyekjær’s A Modern Man, about violinist and model Charlie Siem; and Ben Rivers’ Urth, about the failed ecosystem Biosphere 2.0 in Arizona.
Read Screen’s festival preview here.
Other high profile documentaries to screen at the event include Matthew Heineman’s Cartel Land follow up City Of Ghosts.
New competition Next:wave is launched to highlight international emerging talents “who have the courage to take chances and stand out.”
The...
- 2/22/2017
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
The Sundance 2017 juries and audiences unveiled their picks on Saturday night.
In the grand jury prizes, Macon Blair’s I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore claimed the Us dramatic award and Dina by Dan Sickles and Antonio Santini won U.S. documentary.
Tarik Saleh’s The Nile Hilton Incident won world dramatic and Last Men In Aleppo by Feras Fayyad and Steen Johannessen prevailed in the world documentary category.
In the audience awards, Matt Ruski’s Crown Heights and Jeff Orlowski’s Chasing Coral were the favourites in the Us dramatic and documentary strands.
World cinema selections I Dream In Another Language by Ernesto Contreras and Joe Piscatella’s Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower emerged victorious in the dramatic and documentary sections.
“This has been one of the wildest, wackiest and most rewarding festivals in recent memory,” said festival director John Cooper. “From a new government to the independently organised Women’s March On Main...
In the grand jury prizes, Macon Blair’s I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore claimed the Us dramatic award and Dina by Dan Sickles and Antonio Santini won U.S. documentary.
Tarik Saleh’s The Nile Hilton Incident won world dramatic and Last Men In Aleppo by Feras Fayyad and Steen Johannessen prevailed in the world documentary category.
In the audience awards, Matt Ruski’s Crown Heights and Jeff Orlowski’s Chasing Coral were the favourites in the Us dramatic and documentary strands.
World cinema selections I Dream In Another Language by Ernesto Contreras and Joe Piscatella’s Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower emerged victorious in the dramatic and documentary sections.
“This has been one of the wildest, wackiest and most rewarding festivals in recent memory,” said festival director John Cooper. “From a new government to the independently organised Women’s March On Main...
- 1/29/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival is coming to a close with tonight’s awards ceremony. While we’ll have our personal favorites coming early this week, the jury and audience have responded with theirs, topped by Macon Blair‘s I don’t feel at home in this world anymore., which will arrive on Netflix in late February, and the documentary Dina. Check out the full list of winners below see our complete coverage here.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Larry Wilmore to:
Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Peter Dinklage to:
I don’t feel at home in this world anymore. / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Macon Blair) — When a depressed woman is burglarized, she...
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Larry Wilmore to:
Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Peter Dinklage to:
I don’t feel at home in this world anymore. / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Macon Blair) — When a depressed woman is burglarized, she...
- 1/29/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
This year’s Sundance Film Festival capped off this evening with the fest’s annual awards show, held at Park City, Utah’s own Basin Recreation Field House. The ceremony opened at 7:00Pm Mt, featuring host (and Sundance premiere “The Incredible Jessica James” star) Jessica Williams shepherding along the festivities in predictably amusing fashion.
Macon Blair’s playful suspense film “I don’t feel at home in this world anymore.” won the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, while the U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize went to “Dina.”
“I don’t feel at home in the world anymore.” marks the directorial debut of Blair, previously best known for his acting collaborations with director Jeremy Saulnier (“Blue Ruin”). The movie stars Melanie Lynskey as a woman who embarks on a darkly comic adventure as she seeks out the identity of the person who robbed her apartment, joining forces with...
Macon Blair’s playful suspense film “I don’t feel at home in this world anymore.” won the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, while the U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize went to “Dina.”
“I don’t feel at home in the world anymore.” marks the directorial debut of Blair, previously best known for his acting collaborations with director Jeremy Saulnier (“Blue Ruin”). The movie stars Melanie Lynskey as a woman who embarks on a darkly comic adventure as she seeks out the identity of the person who robbed her apartment, joining forces with...
- 1/29/2017
- by Eric Kohn and Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Conceived and created before the Presidency of Donald J. Trump, Sundance’s documentaries straddle one of the most profound cultural and political shifts in the United States’ recent history.
As the country is forced to grapple with a new range of issues in the post-Obama age, documentarians are also now straining to catch up. You could see it on the screen at Sundance, where last-act codas and recent news snippets suggested how the triumph of Trump had impacted, and in some cases, undermined the stories being told. The story of the election is explicitly told in “Trumped: Inside the Greatest Political Upset of All Time,” but even when Trump wasn’t presented, the country’s conservative turn—and the pain and fractures it has caused among many of its citizens—may influence the way these films are received and understood.
A People Divided
How are this year’s nonfiction stories,...
As the country is forced to grapple with a new range of issues in the post-Obama age, documentarians are also now straining to catch up. You could see it on the screen at Sundance, where last-act codas and recent news snippets suggested how the triumph of Trump had impacted, and in some cases, undermined the stories being told. The story of the election is explicitly told in “Trumped: Inside the Greatest Political Upset of All Time,” but even when Trump wasn’t presented, the country’s conservative turn—and the pain and fractures it has caused among many of its citizens—may influence the way these films are received and understood.
A People Divided
How are this year’s nonfiction stories,...
- 1/26/2017
- by Anthony Kaufman
- Indiewire
“I don’t have religion, but if I did it would be probably be the Sundance labs,” said “Patti Cake$”writer/director Geremy Jasper.
“Patti Cake$” is one 20 films premiering this week at the Sundance Film Festival that got their start, at least in part, at the Sundance Institute. (In Jasper’s case, he participated in both the Feature Film Screenwriting and Directing labs.)
The labs are the highest-profile aspect of the Institute. Filmmakers find it invaluable to be in Utah for two to three weeks, removed from their day to day concerns and immersed in their films while getting advice from some of the most talented instructors and filmmakers in the world. In Jasper’s case, the first person he sat down with to discuss the problems in his script’s second act was none other than his hero Quentin Tarantino, who workshopped “Reservoir Dogs” at the Sundance Labs 25 years ago.
“Patti Cake$” is one 20 films premiering this week at the Sundance Film Festival that got their start, at least in part, at the Sundance Institute. (In Jasper’s case, he participated in both the Feature Film Screenwriting and Directing labs.)
The labs are the highest-profile aspect of the Institute. Filmmakers find it invaluable to be in Utah for two to three weeks, removed from their day to day concerns and immersed in their films while getting advice from some of the most talented instructors and filmmakers in the world. In Jasper’s case, the first person he sat down with to discuss the problems in his script’s second act was none other than his hero Quentin Tarantino, who workshopped “Reservoir Dogs” at the Sundance Labs 25 years ago.
- 1/22/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
2016 is nearly over and most people can’t wait to reach the finish line, so the Sundance Film Festival lineup couldn’t arrive at a better moment to give us something to anticipate for the new year.
Read More: Sundance 2017 Announces Competition and Next Lineups, Including Returning Favorites and Major Contenders
With the announcement of the U.S. and World Competition sections as well as the ever-tantalizing Next category of edgier fare, the first set of Sundance announcements kick off a wave of expectations from new talent and veterans alike. There will be much to dig through, from potential sales titles to breakthrough talent, and more announcements to come (the midnight section, short films, and forward-thinking New Frontiers section are all around the corner). In the meantime, we’ve dug through the initial Sundance blast to unearth a few standouts worthy of anticipation.
David Lowery’s Secret Movie Isn’t...
Read More: Sundance 2017 Announces Competition and Next Lineups, Including Returning Favorites and Major Contenders
With the announcement of the U.S. and World Competition sections as well as the ever-tantalizing Next category of edgier fare, the first set of Sundance announcements kick off a wave of expectations from new talent and veterans alike. There will be much to dig through, from potential sales titles to breakthrough talent, and more announcements to come (the midnight section, short films, and forward-thinking New Frontiers section are all around the corner). In the meantime, we’ve dug through the initial Sundance blast to unearth a few standouts worthy of anticipation.
David Lowery’s Secret Movie Isn’t...
- 11/30/2016
- by Eric Kohn and David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
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