Indiewire

'Kill List' Director Ben Wheatley Talks About 'That' Ending and Why the Film's So Personal

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:28:02 GMT

"Kill List," Ben Wheatley's follow-up to critically acclaimed debut "Down Terrace," has been generating love from horror aficionados since premiering at last year's SXSW. Bloody Disgusting went so far as to dub it "the best horror film of 2011," while Indiewire's Eric Kohn called the film a "brutally unsettling masterpiece that you need to see twice." One thing's for certain: "Kill List" will rattle your nerves. The film follows Jay (Neil Maskell), an ex-soldier-turned-contract killer who is pressured into a new assignment by his old partner following a disastrous hit job in Kiev. As they set out on their latest series of hits, it soon becomes clear that Jay isn't in the best headspace to handle the job. All the while, strange things begin happening; among those, a number of his hits start humbly thanking Jay for taking their lives. The whole sordid tale builds to a horrifying climax that critics (for the...

Indiewire's First Week Back, Post-Sundance 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:58:27 GMT

Indiewire's first week back from the just-wrapped 2012 Sundance Film Festival was a busy one. Get an idea of what went down by checking out this week's highlights in news, features and reviews, all compiled below. NEWS Kino Lorber Acquires Sundance Winner '5 Broken Cameras' Kino Lorber, Inc. has acquired all North American rights to the documentary "5 Broken Cameras," winner of the World Cinema Directing Award at the recently wrapped 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Matt Dentler is Leaving FilmBuff to Join iTunes Matt Dentler is leaving Cinetic Rights Management's FilmBuff to join iTunes, where he'll oversee partnerships with independent film partners. Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Latest Film From 'A Prophet' Director Sony Pictures Classics has acquired North American, Latin American and Eastern European rights to "Rust & Bone," the latest from "A Prophet" director Jacques Audiard. Marion...

Critic's Notebook: 'Chronicle' Is Fine, But a Better Alternative Awaits in 'Me @the Zoo'

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:08:01 GMT

A new movie tracks the plight of young people growing up in today's media-saturated environment by allowing its subjects to control the camera. At the center of the story, an alienated teen documents his own life as he emerges from his shell with the realization that he possesses special powers. Anyone with a working knowledge of new releases may assume this movie is "Chronicle," but in fact a far more accurate encapsulation of the same basic ideas was on display last week at the Sundance Film Festival ahead of its air date on HBO: "Me @the Zoo," a highly personal, diary-like account of Chris "Leave Britney alone!" Crocker's rise to YouTube celebrity. On the surface, the two movies have virtually nothing in common. Crocker's initially reclusive nature took a sharp turn when his web videos exploded into viral phenomenon, thrusting him into the national spotlight with alternately dazzling and catastrophic results. The gay teen's...

The Best Music of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:55:04 GMT

As anyone who attended the 2012 Sundance Film Festival can attest, this year's lineup boasted some great music. For those of you who didn't make it down to Park City (and for those of you that did and want to relive the memories), listen to some of the musical highlights that made up Indiewire's Sundance 2012 experience. Tell us which songs we missed in the comment section below. Happy listening. Song: "Sugar Man" by Rodriguez Film: "Searching for Sugar Man" Sundance audiences walked into Park City not knowing who Rodriguez and walked out as fans of the elusive singer/songwriter. The subject of the Audience Award-winning documentary "Searching for Sugar Man," was touted by record executives in the '70s to be a rock icon to rival the best of them. Sadly, his rise to fame never happened in the states. Hopefully, this documentary will change that. Song: "It Takes a Muscle to Fall in Love" by Spectral Display ...

Even After Susan G. Komen Reverses Planned Parenthood Decision, 'Pink Ribbons, Inc.' Casts Doubt

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:16:49 GMT

It was a tense few days for those who admire the work of Planned Parenthood. After the Susan G. Komen Foundation announced it had instituted a new policy that would refuse funding to organizations under Congressional investigation, it was announced that Komen would not renew its grant to Planned Parenthood. At the heart of the sex wars over birth control and abortion, Planned Parenthood is known for never refusing services to those who couldn't pay. After robust public outcry, Komen has reversed its decision, saying it will only refuse funding for organizations after investigations have proven "criminal and conclusive in nature. (Per the LA Times, "The congressional inquiry was launched in September by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) to determine, among other things, whether Planned Parenthood has used public money to fund abortions. Although Planned Parenthood receives federal money, that money can't be used to provide abortions."...

Kino Lorber Acquires Sundance Winner '5 Broken Cameras'

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:48:35 GMT

Kino Lorber, Inc. has acquired all North American rights to the documentary "5 Broken Cameras," winner of the World Cinema Directing Award at the recently wrapped 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The company plans to release it theatrically in late summer, followed by a home video and digital release at the end of the year. Full release below: KINO LORBER ACQUIRES ALL US RIGHTS TO AWARD-WINNING DOC 5 BROKEN CAMERAS (2012) Winner of the World Cinema Directing Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival New York, NY – February 3, 2012 - Kino Lorber, Inc. (www.kinolorber.com) is proud to announce the acquisition of all US rights to the acclaimed documentary 5 Broken Cameras (2012), a daring chronicle of resistance in the West Bank by first-time Palestinian director Emad Burnat and Israeli filmmaker Guy Davidi. Filmed from the perspective of a Palestinian farm laborer (i.e. co-director Emad Burnat), 5 Broken Cameras was shot using five...

Critical Consensus: Karina Longworth and Mark Olsen Discuss Sundance 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:14:21 GMT

Editor’s note: Critical Consensus is a biweekly feature in which two critics from Indiewire’s Criticwire network discuss new releases with Indiewire’s chief film critic, Eric Kohn. Here, L.A. Weekly film critic Karina Longworth and L.A. Times freelancer Mark Olsen discuss some of the provocative films at this year's Sundance Film Festival, which concluded last weekend. Details on films opening this week follow the conversation. This was a particularly interesting year at Sundance for people curious about the breakouts: For every person who seemed to think there were no "big" discoveries, a number of critics singled out films that received divided responses as among their favorites. For example, Mark, you loved "Compliance," Craig Zobel's quasi-psychological thriller about a con man who impersonates a police officer and tricks the staffers at a fast food joint. But "Compliance" famously invited angry responses at its...

What to See, What to Skip: New Reviews This Week

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:09:47 GMT

This week has a large variety of films opening with something for virtually every audience. The horror genre is especially well represented with Ben Wheatley's "Kill List"; Ti West's "The Innkeepers"; and Daniel Radcliffe's first post-Potter role in "The Woman In Black." For those looking for something a little lighter, there's also the eco-friendly whale film "Big Miracle" and Madonna's latest directorial attempt "W.E." Below are reviews from the Indiewire network for this week's new releases. "Big Miracle" The Playlist: B- It's so good-natured, its heart so large, that it just merrily swims along; you're never once worried that anything will go wrong. "Chronicle" The Playlist: B What keeps "Chronicle" compelling is not the quickly wearing novelty of verité-style narrative, but a story in which the stakes aren't on some...

When TV Vets Make an Indie Short: Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall Talk "Picture Paris"

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:04 GMT

Last year, after decades of television experience between them, husband-wife duo Brad Hall and Julia Louis-Dreyfus set out to make their way through a different medium: short film. With a crew of peers working on two continents, the fruit of their labor is the new 30-minute short, “Picture Paris.” Written and directed by Hall and starring Louis-Dreyfus, the story follows a woman who, after her husband leaves her, resolves to take the trip to Paris she always dreamed of. Along the way, she meets some friendly Parisians and reconnects with a fellow traveler, all the while immersing herself in the city which she has long idealized. Louis-Dreyfus and Hall spoke with Indiewire shortly beore the film's premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival about the challenges of making a short film, some that were familiar and others welcome surprises: So when did this process start? Brad Hall: Our son went off to college, so in dealing with...

The Original DIY Filmmakers: The New York Punks of 'Shoot It! Hollywood Inc. and the Rising of Independent Film'

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:04 GMT

There have been plenty of history books written about independent film, but few take the expansive, international view of journalist and critic David Spaner in his new book "Shoot It! Hollywood Inc. and the Rising of Independent Film," released this month. "Shoot It!" is a revealing history of how Hollywood, with its eye on the bottom line, lost its ability to support the work of creative filmmakers; it is also a passionate portrait of the independent filmmakers who have risen to fill the void. Indiewire is sharing an excerpt from the new book. Here, from the chapter entitled "New York Magic," Spaner tracks the evolution of the New York underground filmmaking scene in the 1980s. __________________________ The counterculture and the 1960s hadn’t been down for long when a new underground sneered its head. Punk rock played a formative role in the independent film scene that emerged from New York in the late 1970s and early...

"Released to Life" is Washington, D.C.'s Best Film

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:42:32 GMT

“Released to Life” has been named by The D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development and SnagFilms as the inaugural winner of Washington’s Best Film. The short documentary, which follows various prison inmates as they make their way back into society, was produced by filmmakers at The Documentary Center of George Washington University. Participants in the competition were required to residents of the Washington D.C. area or have D.C.-centered production companies. On hand to award this top prize at a ceremony held earlier this week were D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and SnagFilms CEO Ted Leonsis. Here's the 16-minute-long “Released to Life." SnagFilms is the parent company of Indiewire. The full release is reproduced below: Washington D.C. – January 30, 2012 – SnagFilms and the D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development announced the winner of...

'Gasland' Director Josh Fox Explains His Arrest on MSNBC

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:30:09 GMT

"Gasland" director Josh Fox was arrested yesterday while documenting a public hearing concerning the topic of hyrdaulic fracturing (fracking). As Indiewire reported yesterday, Fox was later released. The arrest, whose lack of ground is attested to by Fox in the clip (he explains how he received permission), was also questioned by a female voice who asked the representatives on the panel "What about transparency?" "Gasland" and "Gasland 2" attempt to uncover the oil and gas industry's coverup of the alleged adverse effects of fracking. Last night, after Fox was released, he headed to MSNBC's "The Ed Show," where he explained to Ed Schultz why he was at the public hearing. Fox also addressed "Gasland 2," which he says is very nearly done. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The 7 Indie Films You Must See This February

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:38:45 GMT

February is usually seen as a burial ground for movies. But look past the studio offerings and you'll find a slew of high quality indies, and foreign-language films that are definitely worth a trip to your local art house. From Jafar Panahi and Bela Tarr to Ben Wheatley and Joshua Marston, check out Indiewire‘s picks for the seven best options, and then check out the full calendar; there’s many worthy films that didn’t make this list. 1. This is Not a Film (February 29, Palisades Tartan) What's The Deal? In December of 2010, renowned Iranian director Jafar Panahi received a 6-year prison sentence and a 20-year ban from filmmaking due to his open support of the opposition party in Iran's 2009 election. In "This is Not a Film," which was secretly shot on an iPhone and a digital camera by Panahi's close friend Mojtaba Mirtahmasb and smuggled into France in a cake for a last-minute submission to Cannes, Panahi...

Celebrate the Fighting Spirit This Super Bowl Weekend: Indiewire @ Hulu

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:46:47 GMT

As the New York Giants face off against the New England Patriots at the Super Bowl this weekend for the NFL championship, Indiewire's curation of Hulu's Documentaries page offers a look into the dreams of victory of a number of other athletes. The fighting spirit shines through in the inspirational stories of college football teams, marathon runners, horse racers and one particularly determined mixed martial artist. In "Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,"Kevin Rafferty recounts the historic 1968 football game between the rival universities, which saw two undefeated teams facing off to a wild and unexpected conclusion. The film is one of the quintessential docs on football, revealing the story of what's considered to be the most famous game in Ivy League football history. College football is also the focus of "Heart of Geauxld." The Louisiana State University's Fighting Tigers - whose Cajun heritage is signaled by the title's unique spelling...

Paladin to Release 'Otter 501'

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:38:17 GMT

Paladin announced today that it will release "Otter 501." The film is a documentary/narrative hybrid that chronicles the rescue of an orphaned baby otter, told through the Facebook video posts of its rescuer. The film will have its world premiere at this week's Santa Barbara Film Festival. Paladin will release the film this spring. Full press release reprinted below: Paladin announced today that it will release OTTER 501, a new film that chronicles the true story of an orphaned baby otter who is rescued on the Northern California coast, per company president Mark Urman. The latest project from the award-winning and acclaimed filmmaking team at Sea Studios Foundation, OTTER 501 will have its world premiere at this week’s Santa Barbara Film Festival. Paladin plans a spring release for the film. A unique hybrid of fact and fiction that takes the traditional wildlife documentary into new and exciting storytelling realms, OTTER 501 is...

'Weekend' Wins MovieSquad IFFR Award at International Film Festival Rotterdam

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:56:34 GMT

The International Film Festival Rotterdam has chosen Andrew Haigh's "Weekend" as the winner of their MovieSquad IFFR Award. The jury deciding upon the winner for the award is unique in that it consits of five members aged 15 to 19 years old. There were twenty other films in the competition and other films nominated for the award by the jury were Christophe van Rompaey's "Lena" and Ruben Ostlund's "Play." Full Press Release PRESS RELEASE 2 February 2012 Andrew Haigh’s Weekend is young people’s jury favorite in Rotterdam British film Weekend by Andrew Haigh (UK, 2011), selected in IFFR’s Bright Future section, has won the MovieSquad IFFR Award. The young people’s jury announced the winning film during the International Film Festival Rotterdam this afternoon during the MovieSquad Award Ceremony. The MovieSquad jury consisted of five members aged 15 to 19 years: Nick Golterman,...

Ben Wheatley's 'Kill List' Is the Brutally Unsettling Masterpiece That You Need to See Twice.

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:33:35 GMT

With two movies to his name, British director Ben Wheatley has established himself as a master of relentlessly bleak, character-driven narratives with surprising flashes of comedy and multiple layers of subtext. "Kill List," which follows dark comedy "Down Terrace," feels like the apex of this approach, even though it's only his second feature. Skillfully delivering a tense, violent story of raging hitmen while telling a much stranger tale beneath the surface, Wheatley blends formulas to create one of the richest texts on midlife crises to come along in quite some time. "Kill List" may involve murder, religious fanaticism and guts galore, but these elements represent a universal conundrum. Jay (Neil Maskell), an ex-military man, struggles with his droll suburban existence while in constant deadlock with his needy wife Shel (MyAnna Buring) and attending to the needs of their clueless young son. Wheatley opens with a frantic argument between the...

Video of the Day: 'Interrupters' Star Ameena Matthews Interrupts Colbert on His Own Show

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:26:49 GMT

Ameena Matthews, one of the most visible members of the Chicago gang violence cessation group CeaseFire and one of the most beloved stars of Steve James' documentary about the group, "The Interrupters," made a trip to the Colbert Report last night to promote the February 14 airing of the film on PBS's Frontline. "The Interrupters" follows Matthews and her CeaseFire colleagues as they use street-level tactics to fight gang violence in Chicago's Englewood community. The film won the Cinema Eye Honors award for best film earlier this year, but has been snubbed by the Oscars. Time Magazine named Matthews' performance the 5th best on film in 2011. Check out Indiewire's interview with Matthews here. Sporting a flashy pair of lightning bolt earrings, Matthews schools Stephen on what it means to be an interrupter and why her work is important: The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political...

FUTURES: 'Young & Wild' Filmmaker Marialy Rivas Talks Her Sexy, Sundance Award-Winning Debut

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:23:27 GMT

Why She’s On Our Radar: Chilean director/writer Marialy Rivas turned heads at the just-wrapped Sundance Film Festival with her sexually provocative debut, “Young & Wild.” Rivas, an award-winning short filmmaker (her short "Blokes" screened at the festival last year), walked away from this year's edition with the World Cinema Screenwriting Award, which she shared with her co-writers Camila Gutiérrez, Pedro Peirano and Sebastián Sepúlveda.   “Young & Wild” centers on Daniela (Alicia Rodriguez), a 17-year-old girl raised within a strict evangelical family who secretly writes a sexually charged blog. Rivas was inspired to make her foray into feature filmmaking after coming across a similar blog spearheaded by Gutiérrez, whom she approached to become one of the film’s co-writers. At the Sundance awards ceremony, Gutiérrez gave the best sound bite of the night in accepting her award:...

Ti West On the Real Haunting That Inspired 'The Innkeepers'

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:43:12 GMT

Ti West is back to his scary tricks with "The Innkeepers," his anticipated follow-up to his indie horror smash "The House of the Devil." In the haunted house thriller (which debuted at last year's SXSW film festival to solid notices), West updates the setting from the '80s-set "House" to the present day, to tell a spooky tale set at the real life (and reportedly haunted) Yankee Pedlar Inn. Sara Paxton ("Shark Night 3D") and Pat Healy ("Compliance") star as two young hotel clerks on a mission to prove that the historic site is indeed inhabited by ghosts. [Editor's Note: This interview originally ran prior to the film hitting VOD. It opens in theaters this Friday, February 3.] West caught up with Indiewire to discuss his latest foray into horror and the creepy true story that inspired him to make "The Innkeepers." The story behind the reason you made “The Innkeepers” is almost as...

Project of the Day: Born to Skate

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:30:00 GMT

Here's your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. Hicks on Sticks Tweetable Logline: In 1 car and 3 vans, towing 1 portable skateboard park, 4 skaters and 2 bands traveled 2800 kms to put on 8 shows in 11 days with no money. Elevator Pitch: In the summer of '99, skateboarders were outlaws in small towns everywhere. This is when Ian Comishin decided to take his home grown skateboard company on tour. The idea was to bring skateboarding and music to kids in small towns, something they would usually only see in cities or in magazines. Ian put together a team of four professional skateboarders and two bands. Financial sponsorship fell through at the last minute, but they built a portable skateboard park out of donated materials and set out across Western Canada to do what they love...

Matt Dentler is Leaving FilmBuff to Join iTunes

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:41:21 GMT

Matt Dentler is leaving Cinetic Rights Management's FilmBuff to join iTunes, where he'll oversee partnerships with independent film partners. As head of programming at FilmBuff, Dentler managed the VOD releases of titles like the Polish Bros. title "For Lovers Only" and Ed Burns' "Nice Guy Johnny," both of which were also success stories for the iTunes platform. Dentler is a graduate of UT Austin's film program; he began working for SXSW in 2000 (his freshman year) as an intern; eventually, he became the head of the festival. He joined FilmBuff in 2008. Currently based in New York, Dentler will relocate to Los Angeles this month.

Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Latest Film From 'A Prophet' Director

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:13:24 GMT

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired North American, Latin American and Eastern European rights to "Rust & Bone," the latest from "A Prophet" director Jacques Audiard. Marion Cottilard and Matthias Schoenarts ("Bullhead") head the cast. The film, co-written by Audiard and Thomas Bidegain, is adapted from a book of short stories by Craig Davidson. Full release below: NEW YORK (February 1, 2012) - Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all North American, Latin American and Eastern European rights to Jacques Audiard's (A PROPHET) RUST & BONE from Hengameh Panahi of Celluloid Dreams. The film recently wrapped production. The film was co-written by Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain and adapted from the acclaimed book of short stories by Craig Davidson. Just as he did with the prison genre in A PROPHET, Jacques Audiard will renew the love story with RUST AND BONE, his stirring new...

Filmmaker Josh Fox Issues Statement About D.C. Arrest: "I was not expecting to be arrested for practicing journalism."

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:07:00 GMT

Earlier today, Oscar-nominated "Gasland" filmmaker Josh Fox had been arrested in Washington, D.C. and charged with unlawful entry after trying to film a House Science Committee hearing on fracking. Fox was processed and released this afternoon; his official statement is below. I was arrested today for exercising my First Amendment rights to freedom of the press on Capitol Hill. I was not expecting to be arrested for practicing journalism. Today's hearing in the House Energy and Environment subcommittee was called to examine EPAs findings that hydraulic fracturing fluids had contaminated groundwater in the town of Pavillion, Wyoming. I have a long history with the town of Pavillion and its residents who have maintained since 2008 that fracking has contaminated their water supply. I featured the stories of residents John Fenton, Louis Meeks and Jeff Locker in GASLAND and I have continued to document the catastrophic water...

Decide Who Talks to the Sundance Institute: Vote for Indiewire's Project of the Month!

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:51:08 GMT

January is now over, and it's time to choose one of our Projects of the Week to be named January's Project of the Month. The project that receives the most votes for Project of the Month will receive a consultation from the Sundance Institute! Voting will be open until Friday February 3 at 5 PM. Go here to vote for January's Project of the Month! The links to more information about each project are below. Good luck to all of the filmmakers! "Graceland" Marlon Villar, a family man, is the long-time personal driver of Manuel Changho, a corrupt politician in Metro Manila, Philippines. While driving Mr. Changho’s preteen daughter Sophia, together with his own daughter Elvie, the three become the target of a kidnapping attempt. When the wrong girl is taken, Marlon’s life takes a sudden and violent turn which propels him into a downward spiral of deception. As events unravel, Marlon, Mr. Changho, and their families become...