Category: Movies

“An artist develops. You do things by instinct, but we learn, we suffer, we mature. I have to feel what I do.” Sony Pictures Classics has released an official US trailer for a documentary titled Maria by Callas, set to open in US theaters in November after showing at the New York Film Festival. The film is an intimate look at the life & work of Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas, as told in her own words. “Assembling the material for the film took director Volf four years of painstaking research, which included personal outreach to dozens of Callas’s closest friends and associates, who allowed him to share their personal memorabilia in the film. When recordings of Callas’s voice aren’t available, Joyce DiDonato, one of contemporary opera’s biggest stars, reads her words.” This looks like another fascinating, insightful doc about a truly great artist. ›››

Continue Reading Official US Trailer for ‘Maria by Callas’ Doc About the Opera Singer

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“It takes courage to change people’s hearts.” Now this is a wonderful film. So wonderful. Green Book is a comedic drama from Peter Farrelly, one half of the comedy directing duo the Farrelly Brothers, making his solo debut. This lovable road trip film is about a friendship between two individuals from “opposite sides of the track”, as they say. Based on the trailer, I had a good feeling this might be something special, and it’s as memorable as it looks from that footage. Green Book is a bit more mainstream than most films that play at festivals, but it’s still an outstanding film that’s full of heart, good humor, and honesty. I really loved this film, so much. It left me in such a good mood, and I’ve been thinking about it non-stop since the screening. ›››

Continue Reading TIFF 2018: Peter Farrelly’s Wonderful Road Trip Comedy ‘Green Book’

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“Things have a way of escalatin’ out here in the West.” Netflix has debuted the first official trailer for the latest Coen Brothers feature, a western anthology film titled The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, featuring six tales about the American frontier. This premiered at the Venice Film Festival to mostly positive reviews. I saw this film in Venice and loved it, saying in my review that it’s “thoroughly amusing and compelling to watch; none of the six stories is any worse than any other, they’re all top notch.” The film’s huge ensemble cast includes Tyne Daly, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Heck, Grainger Hines, Zoe Kazan, Harry Melling, Liam Neeson, Jonjo O’Neill, Chelcie Ross, Saul Rubinek, Tom Waits, Clancy Brown, Jefferson Mays, Stephen Root, and Willie Watson. Along with Tim Blake Nelson playing the titular musician/gunslinger Buster Scruggs. I can’t wait until this is available for everyone to fully enjoy. ›››

Continue Reading Trailer for Coen Bros’ Western Anthology ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’

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“Your honor, is it a crime in this country to prefer the witching hour?” The first festival teaser is available for the new Alex Ross Perry film, titled Her Smell. This just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival over the weekend, and it will also screen at the New York Film Festival next month. Elisabeth Moss (who also starred in Alex Ross Perry’s films Queen of Earth and Listen Up Philip) plays a self-destructive punk rocker named Becky Something who struggles with sobriety while trying to recapture the creative inspiration that led her band to success. The impressive cast includes Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Agyness Deyn, Gayle Rankin, Ashley Benson, Dylan Gelula, Amber Heard, Eric Stoltz, with Virginia Madsen. This teaser gives us a look at how wild & crazy Moss is in this, for those who might be curious. Take a look. ›››

Continue Reading Festival Teaser for Alex Ross Perry’s New Film ‘Her Smell’ from TIFF

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“Mother. Father. Always you wrestle inside me…” The Criterion Collection has released a new trailer for the re-release of Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, which is now available on Blu-ray/DVD from Criterion. This special edition includes a brand new, never-before-seen Extended Cut of the film – including 50 minutes of extra footage. This new Extended Cut just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and is included on the Blu-ray with the original theatrical version from 2011 (which won the Palme d’Or in Cannes that year). The original version was 2 hours, 19 minutes – so this extended version is 3 hours, 9 minutes long. The film tells the story of a family in Waco, Texas in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents’ conflicting teachings. The film is regarded by many cinephiles as one of the best films of this decade, and includes the mesmerizing origin of life sequence (which also became an IMAX documentary a few years ago). The Blu-ray is out now for those who want to watch this fresh new re-release. ›››

Continue Reading Teaser Trailer for Malick’s ‘The Tree of Life’ Extended Cut Re-Release

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“We need to fail down here so we don’t fail up there.” Universal has released another new official UK trailer for Damien Chazelle’s new film First Man, an intimate look at the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong leading up to his voyage on Apollo 11 and his first steps on the Moon in July of 1969. The film just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival after showing in Venice, and it’s still getting rave reviews from all kinds of critics. Ryan Gosling (from Chazelle’s La La Land) stars as Armstrong, and the full cast includes Claire Foy as his wife Janet, with Pablo Schreiber, Kyle Chandler, Ciarán Hinds, Ethan Embry, Jason Clarke, Brian d’Arcy James, Corey Stoll, Christopher Abbott, Patrick Fugit, Shea Whigham, and Lukas Haas. I’m glad they don’t spoil the Moon shots in this trailer, there’s still plenty of intense footage in here. ›››

Continue Reading Another New UK Trailer for Damien Chazelle’s Acclaimed ‘First Man’

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“I don’t suspect God has much business out here.” An official festival trailer has arrived for a western horror film titled The Wind, which just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival this weekend in the Midnight Madness category. The supernatural thriller is set in the western frontier of the late 1800s, following a plains-woman driven mad by the harshness and isolation of the untamed land. Starring Caitlin Gerard, Julia Goldani Telles, Ashley Zukerman, Miles Anderson, and Dylan McTee. Described by TIFF as a “nightmarish yet empathetic exploration of domestic solitude, skilfully conjuring — in bone-chilling visual and sonic strokes — an indescribable spectre that seems to emanate from the abysses of the night itself.” Oh my. How’s that for a pitch? The reviews have been good so far, it looks like a horror film to keep an eye on. ›››

Continue Reading First Trailer for Indie Western Horror ‘The Wind’ Premiering at TIFF

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“Do you think I’m afraid of a jail sentence?” Roadside Attractions has unveiled the first official trailer for Maryam Keshavarz’s new film Viper Club, which is premiering at the Toronto Film Festival this week. Viper Club is about a mother who becomes desperate and impatient as she struggles to figure out how to get help to free her journalist son after he is captured by terrorists in the Middle East. The film is entirely from her perspective, showing how hard it is to get the government to care, until she discovers a group of people who may just have a way to help. Susan Sarandon stars, along with Matt Bomer, Damian Young, Lola Kirke, Edie Falco, Julian Morris, Sheila Vand, Colby Minifie, plus Adepero Oduye. This looks quite good, an intriguing alternative perspective with a few strong performances leading the way. See below. ›››

Continue Reading Susan Sarandon & Matt Bomer in Official Trailer for ‘Viper Club’ Film

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This latest episode of our The First Word podcast is a special episode recorded from Venice discussing the Venice Film Festival and a few of the films that premiered there at the beginning of the festival. The 75th Venezia just wrapped up this weekend, but earlier at the festival after the first weekend, Alex connected with Anton Volkov for a chat about their time in Venice. They discuss early thoughts on Damien Chazelle’s First Man, Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Favourite, and Rick Alverson’s The Mountain. We also discuss our experiences at the festival and the history of it. This special episode only features Alex and Anton, as Mike is busy working on his documentary back in Chicago. Tune in below for our Venice chat. ›››

Continue Reading The First Word Podcast – Venice Film Festival Recap, feat. Anton Volkov

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The opening shots of Widows set a precedent for how intense the film will be. Intimate shots of Viola Davis’ character Veronica kissing her husband quickly cut to gunfire and car chase shots as a group of criminals tries to escape. It’s extremely intense, and a slap-in-the-face wake up everyone who sits down to watch this outstanding film. Widows is the latest film made by acclaimed Oscar-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen (of Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave) and it’s his first “big” film made at a Hollywood studio. Thankfully, McQueen doesn’t seem to be phased, maintaining his edge and focus without losing control and being forced to make something a bit more watered down and accessible. This heist thriller is as much about Chicago as it is about the widows of a handful of criminal men, who work together to pull off a heist to clear their debt. ›››

Continue Reading TIFF 2018: Steve McQueen’s Chicago Heist Thriller ‘Widows’ is Intense

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