 I feel very confident that it may be time to seriously look to Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas as a potential candidate for Best Supporting Actress in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives. The first reactions have come out of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and many seem to be praising her twisted, matriarch turn. What’s more surprising is the film seems to have a very clear divide by critics that are weighing in on its prospects.
While we were expecting a highly stylized adventure with our brilliant director of Drive (2011), some are finding nothing more to awe at other than Scott Thomas. Ryan Gosling’s praise seems to be merely “we’ve seen him do this before.” Not outstanding words for someone seeking citations by the end of the year.
Peter Debruge of Variety gave this faint praise for Scott Thomas:
Scott Thomas has never had a role quite like this to sink her teeth into before, and the typically even-keeled star relishes the opportunity to play such an arch matriarch (though she’s no match for Jacki Weaver’s cunningly manipulative mama bear in “Animal Kingdom”). But like so much else in “Only God Forgives,” her performance ultimately rings hollow. There’s no indication that her manipulative character genuinely loves anyone, just as it’s impossible to tell what, if anything, excites Julian, who accepts lap dances and amputations with the same unfazed expression.
Read more on Cannes Reacts to Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Only God Forgives’ With a Clear Divide!…
 James Franco has become an interest creative force in Hollywood the past few years. From producing documentaries about BDSM porn to acting in films like Pineapple Express to now directing a William Faulkner adaptation. His film As I Lay Dying premiered today at Cannes and recieved mixed to less than rapturous praise. Check out the reactions after the jump! Read more on First reactions to James Franco’s ‘As I Lay Dying’ pour in!…
 Any other result would have been a real surprise/disappointment for the studio I’m sure, but still, it’s good to hear that Sony Pictures Classics is staying in the Asghar Farhadi business. They did quite well with A Separation a few years ago, and now they’ve picked up Farhadi’s new film The Past for U.S. distribution. There’s no word yet on when it’ll come out, but my best guess is that they’ll copy their last strategy and wait until very late in the season to unleash it on us Americans. You can get a refresher on what the movie is out after the jump, but now we at least know that it’s likely hitting theaters in 2013. Read on below…
Read more on Sony Pictures Classics Picks Up ‘The Past’…
 The latest high-profile film to debut at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival is Inside Llewyn Davis by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, a movie I know many around these parts are greatly looking forward to. I’m more lukewarm on the Coen Brothers overall, but this one is of interest to me. The first wave of Tweets have come in, and most of the movie-goers at Cannes are pleased with what they’ve seen. After the jump you can see some of the initial reactions, and again thanks to Matt Singer of Criticwire. Take a look below.
Read more on ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ Captivates the crowd at Cannes!…
 Much like last year, since there’s no official Awards Circuit presence over at the Cannes Film Festival, I plan to bring you the initial reactions to some of the high profile movies making their debuts. First up we have Sofia Coppola’s latest film The Bling Ring, which stars Emma Watson and features in its cast folks like Kirsten Dunst, Leslie Mann, and more. So far, it’s opened to a mixed bag of initial reactions on Twitter (along with a few officially posted reviews). You can find a sample of those quick responses after the jump (Thanks to Matt Singer at Criticwire for finding these for his initial report), but stay tuned for much more on The Bling Ring…
Read more on Twitter Reactions Erupt for Sofia Coppola’s ‘The Bling Ring’ From Cannes!…
 Sarah Polley continues to become one of the most innovative and inventive directors working today and its proved by what she spills out on the silver screen in her newest endeavor Stories We Tell. A compelling and personal documentary about her own life, Stories We Tell blends and fuses the magic of non-fiction with the imagination of the cinematic mind. Read more on Stories We Tell (***½)…
 Better late than never right…The festival has officially come to a close and the jury announced their winners for various categories. Many films made their world debut and there are some definite Oscar-worthy contenders in the mix. How they will handle their campaigns and how many voters will actually be able/willing to see the films at hand.
I was pleasantly surprised by many films, both traditional narratives and documentaries. Below is my take on the best films and performances in various categories that played in the prestigious festival held in New York. Read more on Best of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival!…
Categories: Article, Editor, Festivals Tags: 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, Almost Christmas, Amy Morton, Armando Reisco, Before Midnight, Bluebird, Daniel Patrick Carbone, Emma Roberts, Ethan Hawke, G.B.F., Hide Your Smiling Faces, Julie Delpy, Paul Giamatti, Richard Linklater, Sunlight Jr, The Rocket, Thep Phongam, Thomas Haden Church, Tribeca Film Festival, Whitewash, Xosha Roquemore
Farah Goes Bang (***)
A filmmaker needs to do something to distinguish themselves when opting to make a road trip film, especially when it involves aspects of the coming of age story as well. Here, despite also focusing on a quest to lose a character’s virginity, co-writer/director Meera Meno manages to make this a unique experience. She, along with co-writer Laura Goode, are able to accomplish this by following a trio of girls on the said trip, wrapping it around the 2004 Presidential election, and by not having the protagonists be three middle class white people. Farah Goes Bang doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it does do more than enough interesting things with it in order to stand out from the crowd. Of the films I’m talking about today, this one is my favorite.
Read more on TRIBECA: ‘Farah Goes Bang’, ‘Fresh Meat’, and ‘Six Acts’…
 A new film for the generation of Mean Girl lovers, Darren Stein’s G.B.F. is a hilarious and down right touching motion picture. Starring Michael J. Willet as Tanner, a high school student who’s recently outed to his school. When the three main clicks in the school try to use Tanner as an accessory as the “Gay Best Friend” to be crowned Prom Queen, things get very interesting. Because of the unique nature of the film, I had to give it a unique review to go with it.
Things I’m Obsessed With:
Xosha Roquemore: the beautiful and memorable actress that was a breath of fresh air during the powerful film Precious by Lee Daniels, is given a role to really stretch her legs. I hope this film mainstreams her into more challenging and accessible roles in the future à la Taraji P. Henson. Read more on 2013 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: G.B.F. (***½)…
 A Case of You (**½)
Where the romantic comedy A Case of You, starring Justin Long and Evan Rachel Wood, succeeds is ultimately where it missteps. Directed Kat Coiro assembles a terrific cast including the underutilized Sam Rockwell and extremely memorable Peter Dinklage, however, the screenplay that is co-written by Long along with brother Christian and Keir O’Donnell doesn’t have a true sense of identity. Tells the story of a young man who thinks he’s met the girl of his dreams and attempts to court her by all interests and statuses from her Facebook page.
Read more on 2013 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: ‘A Case of You’ and ‘The English Teacher’…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: 2013 Film Festival, A Case of You, Editor, Editor Film Review, Evan Rachel Wood, Greg Kinnear, Julianne Moore, Justin Long, Lily Collins, peter dinklage, The English Teacher, Tribeca Film Festival
 Today kicks off the second annual Montclair Film Festival in Montclair, New Jersey. Located about twenty miles outside of Manhattan, this quiet yet very compelling festival has quite a few highlights that will be showcased at this year’s festivities. In its second year, the impressive slate will have lots of films getting some extra press in preparation for their openings and plays around the circuit during the awards season.
Read more on Top 10 Anticipated Films from 2013 Montclair Film Festival!…
Categories: Article, Editor, Festivals Tags: After Tiller, CBS Films, Concussion, Dead Man's Burden, film festival, Frances Ha, Fred Melamed, Geoffrey Fletcher, Greta Gerwig, In a World..., Montclair Film Festival, Noah Baumbach, Robin Weigert, Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Polley, Shailene Woodley, Stories We Tell, The Kings of Summer, The SPectacular Now, Violet & Daisy, Wasteland
 The Project (***½)
Capturing graphic and stunning images of a war many are unaware, Shawn Efran & Adam Ciralsky’s The Project is a timely and smart documentary that hooks the audience into a world of foreign affairs. Profiling the precarious, real-life story of the Puntland Maritime Police Force, or better known as the PMPF, a shadowy group of pirate hunters, The Project highlights mutiny, murder, and diplomatic mischief within its dangerous quest to rid Somalia and its coastal wars of terror.
Read more on TRIBECA: The Project, Let Them Wear Towels, and Oxyana…
 As the Tribeca Film Festival gets ready to close its doors this weekend, at least until next year, the juries for various categories have selected their winners for the films that were in contention.
The full list and press release is listed below after the jump but some notable films that were noticed were The Rocket and The Broken Circle Breakdown, both of which I see tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be able to weigh in on those later this weekend. The Rocket, directed by Kim Mordaunt, won awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Actor for Sitthiphon Disamoe. The Broken Circle Breakdown won Best Actress for Veerle Baetens and Best Screenplay. One film I’m very excited for is Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais’ Whitewash with Thomas Haden Church, a film and performance that is in desperate need of attention if it gets a wide release later in the year. The film won for Best New Narrative Director.
Read down below.
Read more on 2013 Tribeca Film Festival Announces Awards…
 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: Laurie Collyer brought the very best out of Maggie Gyllenhaal with her feature film debut of Sherrybaby (2006), a performance that stands as one of the best of that decade. When her follow-up Sunlight Jr, was announced last year, the anticipation naturally grew to its highest peak. Having sensational actors like Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon were promising to say the least. As good as the premise sounds on paper, Collyer loses focus of her characters and delivers an uneven film that doesn’t stand next to her quiet sensation from 2006.
Read more on TRIBECA: Sunlight Jr. (**)…
 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: No film at the Tribeca Film Festival or any film in recent memory has captured the cultural and significant impacts of tragedy in the minds of adolescence than Daniel Patrick Carbone’s Hide Your Smiling Faces. Engagingly suspenseful, this tale about two brothers, after a tragedy occurs in their rural town, must confront their own demons that include relationships, nature, and morality.
Tommy (Ryan Jones) and Eric (Nathan Varnson) are confronted with morally conflicting views of life and as the two try to siphon their own processes surrounding their tragedy, an underlining beauty exists that I’m not sure I fully understand after the film. Hide Your Smiling Faces lays it on and lays it on hard as these two boys encounter several instances of adult situations through the eyes of young children. Writer/director Carbone isn’t troubled to ask the tough questions of youth and as the boys battle through their layers of guilt, innocence, and even sexuality, Carbone explores the soul of youth and comes up with a phenomenal portrait that stands proudly next to classics like Stand by Me (1986). Read more on TRIBECA: Hide Your Smiling Faces (****)…
 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: Since his first entry into the realm of Oscar-lovers and voters, Thomas Haden Church seemed like a one-trick pony. His newest effort in Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais’ film Whitewash has the actor delivering his finest work yet. Telling the story of Bruce, a man heavy on the bottle, who after he hits a man with his bulldozer during a snowstorm, ventures out into the cold Canadian woods to hide for survival.
As the narrative travels in and out of present and past time, writers Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais and Marc Tulin manage to keep the subdued aura of the film while still keeping it interesting and inventive. Many choices in storytelling and shooting will remind many of the underrated film from Joe Carnahan, The Grey (2012), but the characters here felt much more accessible, both in flaws and pros. The dreary and intimate portrait captured by Cinematographer André Turpin is what encourages the film to go to another place cinematically. His choices along with Hoss-Desmarais’ direction keep the story and the audience close and working together to get to our resolution. Read more on TRIBECA: Whitewash (***½)…
 Though not quite on the same level as his directorial debut ‘Choke’ (at least for me), actor/filmmaker Clark Gregg shows us that he’s a real multi-hyphenate with his sophomore project ‘Trust Me’, a Hollywood satire with a lot going for it. Gregg has cast the film quite well, including placing himself in the lead, a place I wish the actor found himself in more often. He’s not shy about making a character at least somewhat unlikable, and a film looking to skewer tinsel town really needs to have that. Gregg is specifically looking at the world through the eyes of a talent agent, notably in terms of child stars, and that also gives this flick a different angle. For about an hour, this is a really strong black comedy, and even if the final third goes in a different direction that I didn’t like nearly as much, this is still a very solid movie and one of the better things to have screened so far at the Tribeca Film Festival. It’s very hard not to be a fan of Gregg, and he’s only making it more difficult here. The man is quickly becoming more than just a character actor, and that delights me to no end.
Read more on TRIBECA: Trust Me (***)…
Categories: Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: 2013 releases, actors who direct, Allison Janney, Amanda Peet, Clark Gregg, Felicity Huffman, Molly Shannon, Paul Sparks, Sam Rockwell, Saxon Sharbino, Tribeca Film Festival, Trust Me, William H. Macy
 There are always films that seem to define the youth of the decade. In the 1980s, you can make an argument for any of the “rat pack” movies but I remain the closest to John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club (1985). In the 1990s, the hilarious and raunchy American Pie (1999) that bookended a great decade of dramatic and comedic cinema. Scott Coffey’s newest endeavor Adult World starring the talented and adorable Emma Roberts is a touching and uproariously entertaining comedy about a recent college graduate Amy that believes she’s destined to be the next great poet. When things don’t go in her favor, Amy gets a job at an adult book store called “Adult World.”
Written by Andy Cochran, who has written episodes for MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and “Super Sweet 16: The Movie,” the first-time movie screenwriter assembles an assortment of creative and unique characters with genuine deeds that feel credible and realistic. Director Coffey does a commendable job transporting the audience through the story , inserting varieties of colors, beats, and instances of emotional connection. It’s one of the best films seen at the Tribeca Film Festival and could one of the crowd-pleasing films of the year upon release. Read more on TRIBECA: Adult World (***½)…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: Adult World, Andy Cochran, Armando Riesco, Editor, Editor Film Review, Emma Roberts, Evan Peters, John Cusack, Scott Coffey, Tribeca Film Festival
 Phil Morrison blazed onto the scene with Junebug (2005) and managed to introduce the cinematic world to the blissful abilities with Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams. With a near eight year stretch, he has finally taken his directorial chair yet again to bring the whimsical and fascinating Almost Christmas with Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd.
The film opens up with Dennis (Giamatti), a recently released ex-convict that learns that his now ex-wife has told their daughter that he died in prison. To make matters worse, his partner-in-crime Rene is now dating her with intentions of marriage. With no job, home, or any real place to go, Rene’s guilt partners with Dennis’ opportunities and the two French Canadians embark on a trip to New York City to sell Christmas trees just before the holidays. During the daily antics and struggle to sell, eat, and sleep out of a wooden trailer, a dentist’s wife (Sally Hawkins) presents a possible opportunity for them to learn more than just the meaning of the holidays. Read more on TRIBECA: Almost Christmas (***)…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: Almost Christmas, Editor, Editor Film Review, Melissa James Gibson, Paul Giamatti, paul rudd, Phil Morrison, Sally Hawkins, Tribeca Film Festival
 The humor tinged drama ‘The Pretty One’ had a lot of ways in which it could have turned out poorly. It’s got a high concept of sorts that requires top notch execution and a dedicated lead performance, at the very least. Luckily, writer/director Jenée LaMarque was able to get Zoe Kazan in the main role(s), and she knocks this one completely out of the park. Kazan owns the screen playing twins with incredibly different personalities, so much so that they’re always two separate characters, even during the many moments in the first act where they share the screen. LaMarque gets one of Kazan’s three best performances to date, and that goes along with a strong supporting performance from Jake Johnson as well. By carefully balancing tragedy and lighthearted identity issues, ‘The Pretty One’ has managed to be the best thing I’ve seen at the Tribeca Film Festival so far (not counting ‘Before Midnight’, which I already saw back at the Sundance Film Festival), and not by a little either. Kazan is worth the price of admission alone, but the movie is good even without her. She just manages to elevate to something nearly touching greatness. Right now, this is the surprise awards contender out of the festival in my eyes. Kazan deserves recognition for this work.
Read more on TRIBECA: The Pretty One (***½)…
 Debut writer/director Lance Edmands puts an admirable touch on his film Bluebird starring John Slattery and Amy Morton. The story and overall aura of the film feels more in line with films like Winter’s Bone (2010) and The Sweet Hereafter (1997) but lacking the emotional punch needed to grab the audience fully. Ultimately the film explores many of its central characters in an interesting manner but leaves many questions unanswered and not in the indie-flair way that can still feel satisfying. It’s the powerful performance of Amy Morton and the efforts of the rest of the cast that gives the film any lasting impression.
The film takes place in the frozen woods of a small Maine town. After Lesley (Morton) makes a tragic mistake that shatters the balance of the community, not even her husband Richard (Slattery) or her daughter Paula (Emily Meade), can rid her of the overbearing guilt that has taken over. As multiple stories take place including that of Marla (Louisa Krause), Crystal (Margo Martindale), and young Owen (Quinn Bard), all of their lives become connected in a way none of them could have imagined, perhaps forever. Read more on TRIBECA: Bluebird (**½)…
Categories: Editor, Festivals, Film Reviews Tags: Adam Driver, Amy Morton, Bluebird, Editor, Editor Film Review, John Slattery, Lance Edmands, Louisa Krause, Margo Martindale
 People in this line of work like to joke that documentaries only focus on incredibly downbeat or somber subjects. While that’s not 100% accurate, downer docs do tend to be in the majority, so when you come across one that doesn’t make you want to sit quietly in the corner and fight back tears, it’s definitely a welcome change of pace. That being said, it doesn’t mean that the film gets a free pass, and this non-fiction film from the Tribeca Film Festival suffers in that regard. Amusing at times, even with its own incredibly short running time, Little Bub & Friendz is a harmless little film that scores points for positivity but winds up not giving you enough interest to sustain.
Read more on TRIBECA: Lil Bub & Friendz (**½)…
 As we all wait for the “official” announcement of the films that will be playing at this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival, IndieWire seems to already have the list. They films will officially start being announced at 11:00am, but with the leaked list at hand, some exciting and head-scratching films will be making their bow.
It was announced weeks ago that Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby would be the opening film but it won’t be the only high-profile film at hand. James Gray’s film “Lowlife” seems to have received a title change to join Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station and David O. Russell’s American Hustle as name changes for the week. The film looks to now be titled The Immigrant and stars Jeremy Renner, Marion Cotillard, and Joaquin Phoenix.
Nicolas Winding Refn will bring his long-awaited Only God Forgives with Ryan Gosling and Kristin Scott Thomas. We’ll also get the first words on Joel Coen & Ethan Coen’s Inside Llewyn Davis with Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan, which is already getting many industry insiders excited at its award chances. Read more on Cannes Film Festival Includes ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’, ‘Only God Forgives’, Roman Polanski, and More!…
Categories: Festivals, News Tags: Alexander Payne, Asghar Farhadi, Cannes Film Festival, Ethan Coen, Fruitvale, Fruitvale Station, Inside Llewyn Davis, James Franco, Joel Coen, Nebraska, Nicolas Winding Refn, Only God Forgives, Ryan Gosling, The Great Gatsby, The Immigrant, The Past
 I’ve always been a sucker for comedic actors making a strong and firm transition into serious, more dramatic roles. Though the Academy Awards never recognized it, Jim Carrey made a strong showing in films like The Truman Show (1998) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Other actors that have followed include Jack Black as the flamboyant and eclectic old-lady killer in Bernie (2012) and even Chris Rock as he brilliantly complemented the off-beat love of Julie Delpy in 2 Days in New York (2012).
The newest attempt placed Paul Rudd opposite Emile Hirsch in David Gordon Green’s dramedy Prince Avalanche. Suffering from a mundane, indulgent, and poorly constructed story with unrealistic characters and human behavior, Prince Avalanche falls right on its face from the near get go. Telling the story of Alvin (Rudd) and Lance (Hirsch), two highway road workers who spend the summer of 1988 in isolation as they get into weird instances of self-realization and having quarrels about the women waiting for them when they return. Read more on TRIBECA: Prince Avalanche (**)…
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I feel very confident that it may be time to seriously look to Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas as a potential candidate for Best Supporting Actress in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives. The first reactions have come out of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and many seem to be praising her twisted, matriarch turn. What’s more surprising is the film seems to have a very clear divide by critics that are weighing in on its prospects.
