September 17, 2017

‘Manhunt’ Trailer: John Woo Returns With His Latest Action Thriller — Watch

After working on historical epics for more than a decade, John Woo has returned to the present day with “Manhunt.” The “Hard Boiled,” “Face/Off” and “The Killer” director’s latest just screened in Toronto, where the conspiracy thriller earned favorable reviews. Watch the trailer below.

Here’s the synopsis, courtesy of TIFF: “Du Qiu (Zhang Hanyu) is a successful international lawyer from China who has long been working for Tenjin, a powerful Japanese pharmaceutical company. On the very night he announces his break with the company — at its lavish 65th-anniversary party — he is assaulted in his home, knocked unconscious, and wakes the next morning with a knife in his hand and a murdered employee of Tenjin in his bed. Pursued by authorities, including a police captain who begins to suspect his innocence (Masaharu Fukuyama), Du begins a desperate campaign to learn who framed him and why. The answers will involve corruption, cruelty, and a pair of seemingly invincible female assassins.”

The film has yet to receive stateside distribution. Woo most recently directed his two-part epic “The Crossing” and 2010’s “Reign of Assassins.”

Source: IndieWire film

September 17, 2017

TIFF 2017 Awards: ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ Wins the Coveted People’s Choice Award

This year’s edition of the Toronto International Film Festival has come to a close, and the winner of the Grolsch People’s Choice Award has been named: Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside, Ebbing Missouri.” Hundreds of movies once again screened at TIFF over the last 10 days, but only one could take home the coveted prize, which is often seen as an Oscar bellwether — previous winners include “La La Land,” “12 Years a Slave,” and “The King’s Speech.”

Craig Gillespie’s “I, Tonya” was the runner-up, Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me by Your Name” the second runner-up.” Agnès Varda and JR’s “Faces Places” won the People’s Choice Documentary Award, with runner-up going to Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” Joseph Kahn’s rap-battle drama took the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award, meanwhile, and Craig Zahler’s Vince Vaughn–starring “Brawl in Cell Block 99” came in second place.

Other honorees include Robin Aubert’s “Les Affamés” (Best Canadian Feature Film), Sadaf Foroughi “Ava” (Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for the Discovery programme), and Warwick Thornton’s “Sweet Country” (Toronto Platform Prize). The full list may be found here.

Source: IndieWire film

September 17, 2017

Ben Stiller’s ‘Brad’s Status’ Leads Off Fall Specialty Film Season

Amazon Studios, which is releasing about a film a month, led the fall season specialized release barrage with Mike White college comedy “Brad’s Status,” starring Ben Stiller. Annapurna’s second release scored $25,000 per theater in two cities for a credible start.

“Brad’s Status” was one of four Toronto International Film Festival 2017 titles released while the festival is wrapping up (compared to only one last year). The others include Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” (Paramount), which flopped in wide release with $7.5 million and a rare F Cinemascore (they poll mass-audience theaters and the scores don’t reflect all reactions). Frederick Wiseman’s library documentary “Ex Libris” (Zipporah) got a decent result in its exclusive New York run, and Angelina Jolie’s “First They Killed My Father” debuted on Netflix along with a smattering of theatrical dates (grosses hidden per usual).

Opening

Brad’s Status (Annapurna) – Metacritic: 70; Festivals include: Toronto 2017

$100,179 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $25,045

Mike White’s third screenplay of the year (after “Beatriz at Dinner” and “The Emoji Movie”) is his second outing as director (he debuted with 2007’s “Year of the Dog”). This time Amazon oversees the release, partnering with neophyte distributor Annapurna for the first time. (Amazon is starting to distribute its own slate.)

Following a favorable Toronto debut, the Ben Stiller vehicle got ahead of a crowded fall field with decent results in four prime New York/Los Angeles locations. The gross is the best in five weekends (early August debuts of “Ingrid Goes West” and “Good Time” were better–neither impressed when they went wide). And “Brad’s Status” comes a month earlier than last fall’s initial $20,000-plus platform PTA release of eventual Best Picture Oscar-winner “Moonlight.”

What comes next: Expect an accelerated weekly expansion ahead, aided by a relatively wide open field. The story of a dad reexamining his life as he takes his son on a colleges tour should be accessible to a wide audience.

Ex-Libris: New York Public Library (Zipporah) – Metacritic: 90; Festivals include: Venice, Toronto 2017

$11,175 in 1 theater; PTA: $11,175; Cumulative: $16,557

Veteran 87-year-old documentary master Frederick Wiseman’s latest three-hour plus effort (his first after winning the honorary Oscar) opened at Manhattan’s Film Forum on Wednesday. The initial gross (backed by the best reviews for any documentary this year) were strong considering the running time and subject. While Wiseman’s previous film, “In Jackson Heights” (2015) did somewhat better in a similar placement, this is a stellar number.

What comes next: Los Angeles and Washington open next in advance of other big city dates.

The Force (Kino Lorber) – Festivals include: Sundance, San Francisco, Seattle 2017

$19,500 in 4 theaters; PTA:  $4,750

This Sundance award-winner (U.S. feature documentary directing) about the Oakland Police Department opened in several Bay area theaters this week. Though the initial results were bigger on Friday (with local tie-ins), the result is respectable for a serious issue documentary, particularly without prior New York/Los Angeles reviews.

What comes next: New York and Los Angeles open this Friday.

Oscilloscope

“May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers” (Oscilloscope)

$10,500 in 8 theaters; PTA: $1,313; Cumulative: $681,589

This documentary on the folk rock band was directed by Judd Apatow, with most of its gross coming from single night showings last Tuesday. A handful held through the weekend.

What comes next: The next step likely will be later home viewing opportunities.

Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards (Music Box) – Metacritic: 50

$7,440 in 3 theaters; PTA: $2,480

Documentaries about fashion icons often resonate with urban arthouse audiences, but this one about iconic shoe designer Manolo Blahnik (not helped by mixed reviews) had limited initial response in New York and Los Angeles dates.

What comes next: Chicago and San Francisco are among the initial expanded cities this week as the film heads into wider release.

Week Two

Rebel in the Rye (IFC)

$101,118 in 49 theaters (+45); PTA: $2,064; Cumulative: $154,326

The aggressive expansion of this biopic about J.D. Salinger did modest business, although Saturday increases suggested some interest from older audiences still affected by classic “The Catcher in the Rye.”

The Unknown Girl (IFC)

$32,043 in 16 theaters (+14); PTA:  $2,003; Cumulative: $52,725

The Dardennes Brothers latest release from Belgium expanded to top cities on its second weekend at a level under what their always domestic released titles usually do, even if better than many similar titles.

Trophy (The Orchard)

$2,742 in 2 theaters (+1); PTA: $1,371; Cumulative: $7,470

Los Angeles joined New York for this documentary about the complicated world of trophy hunting. This completes its Oscar qualifying run, a major aim of its theatrical release ahead of its future CNN showing.

Ongoing/expanding (Grosses over $50,000 in under 1,000 screens)

The Big Sick (Lionsgate) Week 13

$342,000 in 338 theaters (-197); Cumulative: $42,511,000

The year’s specialty hit, at the end of its third month in release, is still adding gross on the eve of its home availability date (September 19 for DVDs) and ranks best among films under 1,000 theaters.

Screenshot/Pathe

The Viceroy’s House (IFC) Week 3

$229,372 in 112 theaters (+71); Cumulative: $481,611

This latest British and Empire-related historical exercise (India at the time of independence) expanded more broadly to some success. Its timing before the rush of recent festival related new titles is helping its chances.

Tulip Fever (Weinstein) Week 3

$112,072 in 247 theaters (-525); Cumulative: $2,235,000

Justin Chatwin’s troubled Netherlands-set costume drama winds down quickly with a low-end result despite its initial multi-hundred theater release.

Dolores (PBS) Week 3 5-83

$68,120 in 18 theaters (+13); Cumulative: $151,227

This future PBS California Farm Workers’ organizer documentary continues its respectable run (and positioning for awards) with new dates. Chicago and cities closer to its Central California setting are next this week.

Columbus (Superlative) Week 7

$89,146 in 62 theaters (+26); Cumulative: $637,103

The impressive showing for this acclaimed mid-America set interaction between two seemingly different people continues with new dates (particularly in Indiana towns not normally known for specialized interest). This looks likely to go over $1 million with limited marketing expense.

Menashe (A24) Week 8

$87,210 in 90 theaters (-27); Cumulative: $1,576,000

Though subtitled, this American independent film (set in New York’s Orthodox Jewish community) is performing better than most English language art house-centered releases, with a gross of $2 million possible.

Ingrid Goes West (Neon) Week 6

$81,650 in 100 theaters (-100); Cumulative: $2,907,000

This social media turmoil drama, another recent release out of Sundance, will pass $3 million soon. But its aggressive release (at its height just under 700 theaters) suggests an expectation of more.

The Trip to Spain (IFC) Week 6; also available on Video on Demand

$76,338 in 103 theaters (-29); Cumulative: $923,086

This parallel to VOD showing third road trip in Europe led by Steve Coogan is doing less than its predecessors, but still is a decent bonus to its home viewing revenues.

Beach Rats (Neon) Week 4

$72,700 in 67 theaters (+33); Cumulative: $320,778

Minor results continue for another younger character (and audience) aimed Sundance title that is struggling to get attention.

Also noted:

Maudie (Sony Pictures Classics) – $38,870 in 63 theaters; Cumulative: $6,081,000

Good Time (A24) – $29,495 in 29 theaters; Cumulative: $1,933,000

California Typewriter (Gravitas Ventures) – $22,201 in 18 theaters; Cumulative: $128,919

Polina (Oscilloscope) – $30,000 in 30 theaters; Cumulative: $117,908

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Source: IndieWire film

September 17, 2017

Darren Aronofsky Wanted Joaquin Phoenix to Star in His Batman Movie, Which Was Too Dark to Get Made

With everyone who’s actually seen “mother!” — which, as reflected by its “F” CinemaScore, wasn’t too many people — arguing what Darren Aronofsky’s new movie is actually about, the writer/director himself is reflecting on the film he never got to make. Aronofsky was in talks to direct a new “Batman” movie before the role eventually went to Christopher Nolan, and now he’s revealed who he wanted to play the Caped Crusader: Joaquin Phoenix.

“I always wanted Joaquin Phoenix for Batman,” he said to Yahoo! Movies. “It’s funny, I think we were just sort of out of time with our idea. I understood that [with] comics, that there’s room for all different types of titles, but I think Hollywood at that time was still kind of in the Golden Age of comics, and they were still just doing the classic titles in classic ways.”

Aronofsky conceived of an R-rated take on the superhero that he’s described as “Travis Bickle meets ‘The French Connection,’” which was too dark for Warner Brothers; an executive said he “wanted to do a Batman he could take his kids to,” which ended up being Nolan’s “Batman Begins.” Read his full interview here.

Source: IndieWire film