Category: Movies

English novelist, screenwriter, and filmmaker Alex Garland rose to prominence in 1996 with the release of his first novel, The Beach. After Danny Boyle filmed an adaptation of the book (released in 2000), Garland transitioned into screenwriting, with a proclivity for dystopian science fiction. His impressive filmography reads like an abbreviated list of the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century, including 28 Days Later (2002), Sunshine (2007), Never Let Me Go (2011) and Dredd (2012). In 2015, Garland made his directorial debut with the sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, for which his script was nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award. Garland’s second directorial effort, Annihilation, is another mind-bending masterstroke in the writer-director’s ambitious oeuvre that will prove profound to some viewers, but polarizing to others. ›››

Continue Reading Review: Alex Garland’s ‘Annihilation’ is Visually Inventive, Intellectually Ambitious

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“Listen, I know the streets are calling, but you must find a way to rise above it.” Netflix has released an official trailer for a new biopic film titled Roxanne Roxanne, which first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017. Roxanne Roxanne tells the true story of New York rapper and musician “Roxanne Shanté” Gooden, who at only the age of 14 became one of the first female MCs in the rap world. Newcomer Chante Adams plays Roxanne Shante, and the full cast includes Nia Long, Mahershala Ali, Elvis Nolasco, Kevin Phillips, Shenell Edmonds, and Adam Horovitz. This seems like a great follow-up and the East Coast answer to the film Straight Outta Compton, telling a very different story of a badass young MC from Queens. I don’t remember hearing much about this at Sundance, but it seems like it’s worth a watch anyway. ›››

Continue Reading Trailer for Hip-Hop Biopic ‘Roxanne Roxanne’ About the NYC Musician

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“What is it, darling?” Bleecker Street has released the official US trailer for an indie drama titled On Chesil Beach, which premiered at the Toronto and London Film Festivals last year to some rave reviews. Set in England in 1962, the film follows a young idyllic couple, exploring sexual freedom and the societal pressure that can accompany physical intimacy, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night. The wonderfully talented Saoirse Ronan stars as “Flo”, with Billy Howle as her fiance Edward, along with a cast including Emily Watson, Samuel West, Anne-Marie Duff, Bebe Cave, and Adrian Scarborough. This looks like a very unique, and very powerful romantic drama that addresses sexuality and intimacy directly, which is refreshing to see in cinema these days. Based on the buzz, this is something to watch out for this summer. ›››

Continue Reading Saoirse Ronan in Official Trailer for Dominic Cooke’s ‘On Chesil Beach’

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“He’s not here again today, Maharaj.” This looks disgusting. The first teaser trailer has debuted online for a film from India titled Garbage, the latest from controversial filmmaker Qaushiq Mukherjee, known as “Q” (who last directed Brahman Naman). The film is about a taxi driver in the city of Goa named Phanishwar, played by Tanmay Dhanania, who is an angry internet troll and maniac that keeps a woman as a slave in his apartment. One day he meets a new woman, and becomes her driver, whilst secretly stalking her online. Also starring Trimala Adhikari, Satarupa Das, Gitanjali Dang, and Shruti Viswan. This is the kind of weird film that is going to be upsetting to some, but possibly intriguing to others. It just premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this week, and is trying to find distribution. Watch out – this teaser is definitely NSFW. ›››

Continue Reading Teaser for Indian Filmmaker Q’s Film ‘Garbage’ Premiering at Berlinale

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“I understand… In life, sometimes we fight the current.” Netflix has debuted the first official trailer for an action crime drama titled The Outsider, which will be available on Netflix starting next week – not much of a wait. They’re getting better at dropping new films out of nowhere. The Outsider is the latest feature made by Danish director Martin Zandvliet, who last made the Oscar-nominated (from 2016) film Land of Mine. Jared Leto stars in this as an imprisoned American soldier in post-WWII Japan. After being released, he ends up working for the Yakuza to earn their respect and repay his debt. The full cast includes Tadanobu Asano, Kippei Shiina, Shioli Kutsuna, Emile Hirsch, Raymond Nicholson, Rory Cochrane, Nao Omori, and Min Tanaka. Okay, this actually looks pretty damn cool. Definitely worth looking into below. ›››

Continue Reading Jared Leto in First Trailer for Yakuza Film ‘The Outsider’ from Netflix

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“It’s time to let go… Choose the right path, son.” Get your first look at the directorial debut of English actor Idris Elba, titled Yardie. This film premiered at both the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals, and should hit theaters later this year, even though there still isn’t any news on a US distribution deal. Elba’s Yardie, based on the novel by Victor Headley, is about a young Jamaican boy who moves to London in the 80s and gets involved in gang war in Hackney. Aml Ameen stars as D, and the cast includes Everaldo Creary, Stephen Graham, Mark Rhino Smith, Akin Gazi, Fraser James, Deepak Anand, Naomi Ackie, and Shantol Jackson. I wish I could say this is a great film and everyone should watch it when it comes out, but I just saw it at the Berlin Film Festival, and it’s no good. It has some seriously bad scenes and the direction is lackluster. I really wish it was better than it is. Take a look anyway, maybe others will still dig it. ›››

Continue Reading First Trailer for Idris Elba’s Directorial Debut ‘Yardie’ with Aml Ameen

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“He’ll try and destroy you.” Saban Films has debuted an official trailer for a powerful indie film titled The Forgiven, featuring two riveting performances in a tense thriller based on real events. Forest Whitaker stars as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who meets with a brutal criminal in a maximum security prison seeking redemption. Eric Bana plays the prisoner, Piet Blomfeld, a notorious murderer seeking clemency. The cast also includes Jeff Gum, Morné Visser, Terry Norton, Rob Gough, and Debbie Sherman. The real Desmond Tutu commented on the film: “This timely, compelling and intelligent film, movingly, and above all humanely, captures what it felt like to be working with those selfless members of the TRC who strove, often against the odds, to help bring both truth and reconciliation to the ordinary people of South Africa.” ›››

Continue Reading Forest Whitaker & Eric Bana in Official Trailer for ‘The Forgiven’ Drama

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“There’s a huge difference between listening and hearing.” If you’re a movie geek or a filmmaker, you know that foley artists an an important part of the filmmaking process. These people work in grungy studios to create the various sounds and noises we hear in movies. Actors of Sound is a feature-length documentary about foley artists, directed by filmmaker Lalo Molina. This first premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2016, and is finally getting released direct on iTunes this month. “From footsteps to bone cracks, foley artists bring films to life with their imaginative sound effects, but as digital technology goes full speed ahead in 21st century movie-making, can Hollywood’s low tech foley artist survive in this high tech age?” This is a great follow up to the sound of Star Wars short doc The Force of Sound that also released this week. Enjoy. ›››

Continue Reading Meet Foley Artists Making Sounds for Films in ‘Actors of Sound’ Trailer

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“Pyewacket can take many forms, don’t trust your lying eye.” IFC Midnight has released an official trailer for a horror thriller titled Pyewacket, which first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year. Made by Canadian filmmaker Adam MacDonald (Backcountry), the occult nightmare film is about a girl who puts a curse on her mother for fun, but it suddenly becomes all too real as an evil presence known as Pyewacket begins to make itself known, tormenting both of them. Nicole Muñoz (seen in Tooth Fairy, “Defiance”) stars, along with Laurie Holden, Chloe Rose, Eric Osborne, and Romeo Carere. This looks like your standard occult punk rock horror, with a few cool touches but nothing special. It’s described as “a complex mother-daughter tale and a frightening fable about our darkest desires.” If you’re a horror fan, take a peek. ›››

Continue Reading First Trailer for Occult Horror Film ‘Pyewacket’ Starring Nicole Muñoz

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Step into the mind of this musical genius for just a moment, and be inspired by his ingenuity and originality. Shut Up and Play the Piano is a documentary about the musician known as “Chilly Gonzales“, who is actually a Canadian man named Jason Beck. Beck is a virtuoso, a one-of-a-kind musician and this film is a befittingly unique profile of him and his life. It’s a massively creative, clever film about a massively creative, clever musician and will inspire anyone to stop caring about judgment and let your deeply honest creativity express itself. I loved this film so much. I didn’t even know who Chilly Gonzales was before this, and now I’m a huge fan. I’ve already bought a few of his albums. The title is a reference to fans who often tell Chilly to just shut up and play the piano, and he does. Oh, does he ever play, and it’s sumptuous. Discover this film. ›››

Continue Reading Berlinale 2018: ‘Shut Up and Play the Piano’ is a Brilliantly Clever Doc

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