 Going into the new film ‘It’s a Disaster’ I was pretty worried that I was going to be in store for an intolerable 90 minutes of independent cinema. A practically no budget, single set, real time comedy that’s set during a potential apocalypse? Something about it just felt like so much could go wrong. Luckily, my fears were unfounded and Todd Berger’s offbeat flick is a fun little thing to behold. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any way, but it consistently manages to amuse and entertain, with some surprisingly effective dramatic truths thrown in for good measure (not to mention an often scathing look at the social politics of brunch). Berger is able to get at something here, showing the issues big and small that arise due to lack of proper communication. He also has David Cross playing a straight man perfectly (not to mention America Ferrara playing against type, along with Julia Stiles doing something a bit different too), so that’s an ace in the hole for him. The pacing of the movie is a little erratic, but the good definitely outweighs the bad here. By going in just about the complete opposite direction than most would choose for a film of this ilk, Berger managed to find a movie well worth seeing.
Read more on It’s a Disaster (***)…
The Sizing Up Series continues with a look at the slate of Best Supporting Actress contenders. As always, this is as large a grouping of the hopefuls as possible (excluding some no shot contenders and members of bigger ensembles…or else this could have 50 or more people in the article), categorizing them by their assumed likelihood of a nomination come the big morning. Oftentimes, more than a few of the Best Picture nominees wind up with some form of representation here, and this year I think there will be more than a little correlation, but of course absolutely anything is possible with the Academy. We shall see what happens in the end, but enough talk for the time being. I know what you’re all here for, so let’s go right ahead and take a look at the contenders for Best Supporting Actress and size up the field! Read more on Sizing Up: Best Supporting Actress…
Categories: Article Tags: Alicia Vikander, Amanda Seyfried, Amy Adams, analysis, Anne Hathaway, Annette Bening, Bella Heathcoate, Best Supporting Actress, Cate Blanchett, Charlize Theron, Cody Horn, Elizabeth Olsen, Emily Blunt, Emma Watson, Helen Hunt, Isabelle Hupert, judi dench, Julia Stiles, Kerry Bishe, Lorraine Toussaint, Marion Cotillard, olivia colman, Olivia Williams, Oscar hopefuls, Ruby Sparks, Sally Field, Scarlett Johansson, Sizing up, Sizing Up series
 Stars in Shorts is a film/television special (courtesy of Shorts HD) featuring a collection of seven shorts that famous (or should be famous) stars…well, you know…star in. If I haven’t reiterated that four-letter word enough yet, I hope you’ll catch my drift by the end of the review. The good news about the inconsistent, if at times alarming wonderful, Stars in Shorts is that nearly every actor diverges from the roles one might normally see them play on the big or small screen, especially those of Hollywood British Royalty. I reckon that the people who are interested in watching this special will be more invested in the performances from big-name celebrities — who ironically are given the chance to show more range as an actor in a far shorter space of time — than the actual short stories they are meant to uphold. Film director/screenwriter/playwright Neil Labute pens three of the shorts, and proves that when he is not exclusively sitting in the director’s chair, he could be a major writing force in Hollywood. His writing style strikes a unique chord by never really defining its tone: there are elements of drama and black comedy in his works, and I find this purgatorial realm he’s living in utterly fascinating. Neil Labute is the true star in this slice of celebrity potpourri.
Read more on Stars in Shorts (***)…
Categories: Film Reviews Tags: Benjamin Grayson, Colin Firth, Friend Request Pending, Jason Alexander, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, judi dench, Julia Stiles, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, Lily Tomlin, Neil LaBute, Not Your Time, Penny Ryder, Philip Jackson, Prodigal, Rupert Friend, Sarah Paulson, Sexting, Shorts HD, Shorts HD Channel, Stars in Shorts, Stars in Shorts Review, Steve, The Procession, Tom Mison, Wes Bentley
From Left to Right: Erinn Hayes, Blaise Miller, Julia Stiles, David Cross, America Ferrera, and Jeff Grace. Just a sample of the incredible ensemble cast!
Although the Los Angeles Film Festival has wrapped, I was fortunate enough to speak with two of the cast members from the hilarious disaster-comedy film It’s A Disaster that premiered at the yearly venue: Erinn Hayes (Children’s Hospital) and Rachel Boston (500 Days of Summer). The three of us had a great deal to speak about, primarily because we are so passionate about this film — which, by the way, I consider to be the best comedy I’ve seen so far in 2012 — and are crossing our fingers it gets picked up for a U.S. release later this year. Without further ado, here are each of my one-on-one phone interviews with these two hidden gems of comedy, transcribed for you all to read. Enjoy! Read more on ‘It’s A Disaster’ Cast Interview: Erinn Hayes & Rachel Boston…
Can you believe I only have one day left at the Los Angeles Film Festival™? Time flies when you’re at the movies! So yesterday, Terence and I had a lot going on. The good news is that we had different events and screenings, so you’ll get more coverage of the day’s happenings as a result. After having my mind blown by Bryce Dallas Howard’s short film “When You Find Me” (which was a showcase for the new Canon Cinema EOS C300 camera), I headed off to the final screening of Jared Moshé’s Dead Man’s Burden, an indie-western that’s currently in competition for best festival narrative feature. Find out what I had to say about Dead Man’s Burden and my other three screenings of the day after the jump:
Read more on Los Angeles Film Festival Diaries: Day Nine…
 Directed by: David O. Russell
Written by: David O. Russell
Synopsis (from IMDB.com): After spending four years in a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his mother and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife.
Read more on Awards Profile: The Silver Linings Playbook…
Categories: Article, Award Profile, Editor Tags: Awards Profile, Bradley Cooper, David O. Russell, Editor, Jacki Weaver, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Stiles, Oscar hopeful, Robert DeNiro, The Silver Linings Playbook
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