May 27, 2018

Christopher Nolan Calls Stanley Kubrick the Greatest Filmmaker in the History of Film

As you may have noticed over the last few months, Christopher Nolan is pretty into “2001: A Space Odyssey.” He presented an unrestored 70mm print of Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi benchmark at Cannes ahead of its recent theatrical release, and more recently appeared on the Treatment podcast to discuss his love of the film itself and film in general, describing celluloid and the photochemical process as “the best analogy for the way the eye sees that’s been invented.”

“There’s a depth to the color, there’s a superiority to the resolution, there’s a depth to the blacks, the contrasts, everything. I mean, there are all kinds of things that digital technology can’t duplicate,” Nolan adds.

“It can do its own version and all that, and there are a lot of filmmakers who respond really well to that and really enjoy that version of imaging, but it’s different. And so when you start looking at film history, and you start looking at ‘2001’ and the experience that I was able to have watching it on an early re-release, to be able to give audiences today that same analog experience, I think it’s very important.”

He also refers to Kubrick as the greatest filmmaker in the history of film. Listen to his full conversation with Elvis Mitchell below.

Source: IndieWire film

May 27, 2018

Harvey Weinstein’s Courtroom Sketches Make Him Look Like a Monster, Which May Have Been the Point

Harvey Weinstein had what’s likely to be his first of many days in court on Friday, and reactions have been expectedly unsympathetic. Asia Argento and Rose McGowan were gleeful, Ashley Judd called it “a watershed event,” and Paz de la Huerta — who, like the other three women, is among Weinstein’s many, many accusers — “couldn’t stop crying.” If her sketches are any indication, it would appear that courtroom artist Jane Rosenberg doesn’t feel too bad for the disgraced former mogul either.

As seen below, Rosenberg — who also created a famous likeness of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during the “Deflategate” scandal — emphasized Weinstein’s rotund frame and made his facial features borderline monstrous. Weinstein spoke only one word during his 10-minute arraignment — “Yes” — which he was handcuffed for the duration of. He agreed to pay $1 million in bail and left shortly thereafter.

“Mr. Weinstein will enter a plea of not guilty,” said his attorney, Benjamin Brafman, to reporters assembled outside the courtroom. “We intend to move very quickly to dismiss these charges.” Weinstein’s next court date is set for July 30.

Jane Rosenberg, courtroom artist extraordinaire, came through with an unforgiving sketch of Harvey Weinstein today. Swipe through this post for more of her iconic sketches https://t.co/uHoMCv5obo pic.twitter.com/7KL0tujncS

— New York Magazine (@NYMag) May 25, 2018

Source: IndieWire film

May 26, 2018

‘John Wick 3’: Keanu Reeves Behind the Scenes

Production has begun on the latest “John Wick” movie, and Keanu is back to work.

Source: IndieWire film

May 26, 2018

Emilia Clarke Says Ron Howard ‘Saved’ ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’

Other than Phil Lord and Chris Miller, everyone involved with “Solo: A Star Wars Story” seems pretty happy that Ron Howard ended up directing the film. That includes Emilia Clarke, who says the Oscar-winning filmmaker “saved” the production in her Vanity Fair cover story: “All hail to Kathy [Kennedy] for hiring Ron.”

She also includes what may be a subtle dig at her former directors: “I struggled with Qi’ra quite a lot,” Clarke says of her character. “I was like: ‘Y’all need to stop telling me that she’s ‘film noir,’ because that ain’t a note.’” One might reasonably assume that the “y’all” in question are Lord and Miller.

“When it comes to that amount of money, you’re almost waiting for that to happen,” Clarke adds of what went down. “Money fucks us all up, doesn’t it? There’s so much pressure. Han Solo is a really beloved character. This is a really important movie for the franchise as a whole. It’s a shit ton of money. A shit ton of people. A shit ton of expectations.”

In addition to the eighth and final season of “Game of Thrones,” Clarke will next be seen in “Above Suspicion.”

Source: IndieWire film

May 25, 2018

Cuts 101: Here Are 9 of the Most Essential Transitions in Editing

Want to take your editing game to the next level? Then you’ll definitely need to know about these important transitions.<p>One of the first edits you’ll …
Source: CW’s Flipboard Feed

May 24, 2018

Blockchain & the Decentralization of Finance Featured Session at SXSW 2018 [Video]

Take your understanding of cryptocurrencies, ICOs, and tokens to the next level in the advanced SXSW 2018 panel, Blockchain and the Decentralization of Finance. Learn about the effects of blockchain-enabled disruption as it pertains to enterprise blockchain adoption and the growth of token marketplaces.

At SXSW 2018, we explored blockchain technology’s potential to impact global economic systems during two full days of programming from the Startup & Tech Sectors Track.

In this session, Emma Channing, Nick Chirls, Dan Kahan and Paul Veradittakit answer questions about the economic and legal consequences of blockchain technology ranging from “what about blockchain has attracted the attention of financial institutions?” to “what does the democratization of the market mean for Venture Capitalists?”

Nick Chirls, Founder and Partner at Notation Capital, begins the conversation by defining blockchain as “…a new kind of database where a distributed group of people can verify transactions and data in a way that doesn’t require a centralized third party and doesn’t require them to trust one another. This data sits on the blockchain and lives on there publicly.”

Learn about the latest developments in blockchain from a legal and Venture Capitalist perspective and understand how the classification of two tokens changes everything in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Watch the video above for the full Featured Session at the 2018 SXSW Conference. Browse more 2018 Keynotes, Featured Sessions, Red Carpets, and Q&A’s on our YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage and 2019 updates.

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The post Blockchain & the Decentralization of Finance Featured Session at SXSW 2018 [Video] appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Film

May 21, 2018

SXSW 2018 Featured Session The Bleeding Edge: A New Generation of Horror [Video]

In 2018 SXSW Featured Session The Bleeding Edge: A New Generation of Horror, four unique storytellers came together to discuss all things horror, including the the ever-changing genre, creative visions, and the numerous platforms on which to view the content.

“There is no formula for making a good horror film — to me, you just need to make a good film and if you do that, it will stand the test of time.” – Leigh Whannell

Unlike most SXSW sessions, The Bleeding Edge did not have a moderator, so filmmakers Jason Blum, Vera Miao, Steven Susco, and Leigh Whannell had a very intimate and candid conversation amongst themselves and audience members. Many of these panelists were attached to films that world premiered at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival. Blum produced Unfriended: Dark Web (screened at SXSW as Untitled Blumhouse-Bazelevs) and Upgrade. Susco wrote and directed Unfriended and Whannell wrote and directed Upgrade, which earned the Audience Award in the Midnighters category. Additionally, Blum has produced a number of films that have premiered and screened at the film festival in past years, including Insidious (2011, Whannell as a screenwriter), Creep (2014), and Hush (2016) to name a few.

The subject of identity was a major point of interest at the beginning of the session: “A lot of my identity is in the work that we do as a company, because I like the work that reflects my politics for instance, or my feelings about the world, or my feelings about race, sexism and all of those things I feel are reflected in the movies and TV shows that we chose to do,” said Blum.

Although the focus of the session was on horror, towards the end the filmmakers began to talk about making movies across all genres and their personal experiences with the craft. “I try to make it as personal as possible,” said Miao. “That doesn’t mean my movies are autobiographical, but I think it goes to this notion of innovation, which I might flip and say it’s about vision and vision comes from having a voice. And as a filmmaker, it’s a craft, you have to practice it, you have to find your voice. You have to hone it.”

Watch the video above for the full The Bleeding Edge: A New Generation of Horror Featured Session. Browse more 2018 Keynotes, Featured Sessions, Red Carpets, and Q&A’s on our YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage and 2019 updates.

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The Bleeding Edge: A New Generation of Horror – Photo by Kaylin Balderrama

The post SXSW 2018 Featured Session The Bleeding Edge: A New Generation of Horror [Video] appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Film

May 20, 2018

Paul Schrader’s ‘First Reformed’ Is a Hit, and the ‘2001’ Reissue Finds New Box-Office Life

Two very different films — Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed” and a 70mm reissue of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” — stand out among the new releases this weekend. The first represents a critical career high for a director who made his first film 40 years ago, while the revival is from a director who died 19 years ago, and made one of the the most modern films in 1968.

Standout documentary “RBG” joins them, but other well-reviewed films are seeing more mixed results. However, there’s enough viable titles to fill screens while Marvel gets nearly all of the theatrical attention.

Opening

First Reformed (A24) – Metacritic: 83; Festivals include: Venice, Telluride, Toronto, New York 2017

$100,270 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $25,067

Schrader has a long career as a screenwriter (“Taxi Driver”) and director (American Gigolo”), but his career has seen spotty critical and audience reception. “First Reformed,” with Ethan Hawke as a clergyman experiencing spiritual crisis, changed that: It’s received among the best reviews of any film this year. Playing at major New York/Los Angeles locations (and thriving without Lincoln Plaza, where normally this might have played in Manhattan), this is an impressive result considering the more rigorous subject matter.

What comes next: With clear adult appeal established as well as strong reviews backing it, expect this to see ongoing arthouse success at a minimum, with A24 attempting to replicate some level of their usual wider release.

“Pope Francis: A Man of His Word”

Focus Features

Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (Focus) – Metacritic: 63; Festivals include: Cannes 2018

$480,000 in 346 theaters; PTA: $1,389

The first of this year’s Cannes premieres to be released, Wim Wenders’ study of the current pontiff went with a national release targeting his flock. However, it received only a fraction of the interest earned by other religion-themed films.

What comes next: This will stay at the current level for another week before further expansion the following Friday.

On Chesil Beach (Bleecker Street) – Metacritic: 62; Festivals include: Toronto 2017

$36,563 in 4 theaters; PTA: $9,141

Saorise Ronan came to fame in “Atonement” from a novel by Ian McEwan, who also wrote “On Chesil Beach.” The 1962 romance is the second in two weeks with “Lady Bird” star Ronan (“The Seagull” earlier). It opened in four prime New York/Los Angeles locations to mixed initial results.

What comes next: Additional cities roll out starting this week.

“That Summer”

IFC Films

That Summer (IFC) – Metacritic: 64; Festivals include: Telluride 2017, Berlin 2018

$6,018 in 1 theater; PTA: $6,018

The Beales — mother and daughter — were subjects of the Maysles Brothers’ “Grey Gardens” in the 1970s and an HBO film recreating their story. This documentary adds newly seen footage from an even earlier period. It opened at the IFC Center to middling results, but the subject likely will get this future interest in multiple venues.

What comes next: Los Angeles debuts this Friday.

“2001: A Space Odyssey”

2001: A Space Odyssey (Warner Bros. reissue)

$200,000 in 4 theaters; PTA: $50,000

Backed by Christopher Nolan, this rare 70mm reissue on the 50th anniversary of Kubrick’s classic did very strong business in four cities (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco) as it begins play at limited theaters over the next few weeks. (Few have the technology to show it.) These are stellar numbers, particularly since (aside from Arclight Hollywood) these theaters are not usually among the initial top-platform locations.

What comes next: Starting June 1 and through the summer, more than 20 new dates are planned across the country.

Week Two

The Seagull (Sony Pictures Classics)

$65,949 in 13 theaters (+7); PTA: $5,073; Cumulative: $180,865

This stellar actress-led adaptation of Chekhov’s play added a handful of cities. It is getting at best modest results as it begins to expand.

“Beast”

Beast (Roadside Attractions)

$102,250 in 31 theaters (+27); PTA: $3,298; Cumulative: $181,264

This murder thriller set on the remote Island of Jersey moved into multiple new cities with a modest response. A specialized future ahead.

Revenge (Neon) – also streaming

$11,204 in 15 theaters (-22); PTA: $747; Cumulative: $82,562

Coralie Fargeat’s feminist action story is getting most of its viewing at home, with fewer theaters playing this weekend and minimal business.

“Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat”

Boom for Real: The Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (Magnolia)  2-38041

$(est.) 20,500 in 9 theaters (+7); PTA: $(est.) 2,778; Cumulative: $(est.) 58,500

The initial expansion for Sara Driver’s documentary about the early days of the iconic 1980s New York street artist had a mixed response in its initial dates.

Always at the Carlyle (Good Deed)

$11,999 in 7 theaters (+6); PTA: $1,714; Cumulative: $27,177

The second weekend for this documentary about the stylish Manhattan hotel in Los Angeles and other new theaters fell short of its respectable initial exclusive Manhattan gross last weekend.

Mountain (Greenwich)

$4,000 in 1 theater (no change); PTA: 4,000; Cumulative: $39,068

The New York-exclusive run for this Australian documentary on extreme mountaineers saw a respectable hold in its second weekend. Los Angeles opens this Friday, with other cities to come.

“RBG”

Ongoing/expanding (grosses over $50,000)

RBG (Magnolia) Week 3

$1,280,000 in 375 theaters (+196); Cumulative: $3,881,000

The third weekend for this breakout documentary about the Supreme Court justice remained in the overall top 10 a second week, with a near doubling of theaters. The per-theater result dropped by about half to about $3,400, not unusual with expansion; that’s still an impressive result.

Disobedience (Bleecker Street) Week 4

$498,612 in 247 theaters (+147); Cumulative: $2,018,000

Chilean director Sebastian Lelio’s follow-up to his Oscar winning “A Fantastic Woman” has gone wider. With Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams as women in love in a conservative London synagogue, this already has posted a higher gross. The quickly expanding film is finding interest, but the grosses suggest it remains more of an arthouse than crossover item.

Isle of Dogs (Fox Searchlight) Week 9

$325,000 in 288 theaters (-758); Cumulative: $30,723,000

Wes Anderson’s second animated film looks to end up fifth best among his nine releases, a little below “Rushmore” in adjusted grosses, and about $6 million ahead of his earlier “The Fantastic Mr. Fox.”

“The Rider”

SPC

The Rider (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 6

$169,640 in 90 theaters (+5); Cumulative: $1,112,000

Per-theater average decreased about a third, with about the same number of still limited theaters. With earlier grosses modest though steady, this drop suggests that word of mouth is uneven at best for Chloe Zhao’s highly acclaimed story of coming of age in the modern west.

Let the Sunshine In (IFC) Week 4; also streaming

$94,602 in 49 theaters (+15); Cumulative: $347,909

Claire Denis’ French middle-aged romantic ensemble film continues to get theatrical play while it also streams for home viewing. This will end up an above-average subtitled release.

The Death of Stalin (IFC) Week 11

$61,432 in 56 theaters (-74); Cumulative: $7,814,000

Months after its March release, this acclaimed comedy has defied the odds against political satire finding an audience. That its creator also found gold with “Veep” helps explain its success.

Also noted:

You Were Never Really Here (Amazon) – $30,272 in 32 theaters; Cumulative: $2,453,000

Finding Your Feet (Roadside Attractions) – $15,075 in 30 theaters; Cumulative: $1,377,000

The Guardians (Music Box)  – $10,599 in theaters; Cumulative: $35,550

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Source: IndieWire film

May 20, 2018

Cannes 2018: The 11 Best Movies of This Year’s Festival

The 2018 Cannes Film Festival has ended, but the movies are very much still with us. This year’s festival started with a Netflix controversy and hosted major activism around women in the film industry. But despite the many conversations swirling around the festival environment, Cannes was still a film festival. So how were those movies, anyway?

Early on, this year’s program was assailed for lacking star power and many A-list auteurs, but in retrospect, not of that skepticism really gelled with a selection that ranged from newcomers to veterans, and from stars to fresh faces — and it all cast an exciting spotlight on movies from around the world. Here are the best of the bunch.

“Arctic”

“Arctic”

Cannes

This may be a low bar to clear, but Joe Penna’s directorial feature debut is one of the best movies ever made about a man stranded in the wilderness. Mads Mikkelsen, throwing himself into an Iceland shoot that could probably have made for a compelling survival story unto itself, gives a career-best performance as a downed pilot named Overgård. We join his nearly wordless ordeal at some point after his plane has crashed into a deep white valley in the middle of nowhere. At first, it seems like a familiar setup, but the cast soon doubles in size when Overgård is forced to care for the helicopter pilot who crashes while trying to rescue him. Maybe there are some places where people just aren’t supposed to fly.

“Arctic” is such an involving experience because Penna finds ways to infuse real drama into potentially mundane details; we always know where the characters are and what’s at stake with each step, so that watching Mikkelsen turn a sled into a makeshift shelter achieves the excitement of a major setpiece. It’s broad stuff, and well-trod terrain for a movie that takes place in uncharted territory, but it cuts straight to the difference between endurance and survival. Movies like this are typically only exciting because the hero might die. “Arctic” is so compelling because Overgård might not. —DE

“BlacKkKlansman”

“Burning”

“Burning”

Eight years had passed since Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong brought another movie to Cannes. Lee, a precise filmmaker whose patient character studies are among some of the richest in world cinema today, doesn’t need to rush. Of course it was worth the wait: Combing forces with Haruki Murakami by adapting his short story “Barn Burning,” Lee develops a haunting, beautiful tone poem about working class frustrations, based around the experiences of frustrated wannabe writer Lee (a superb, understated Ah-in Yoo) who thinks he’s found an escape from his loneliness when he encounters Haimi (energetic newcomer Jean Jong Seo), a lively woman from his past with whom he sees romantic possibilities. That situation gets complicated by the arrival of Ben (Steven Yeung), a wealthy and assertive stranger with an American name who represents everything Lee wants in life. The filmmaker develops a fascinating, allegorical mystery around these circumstances as the drama builds to a shocking confrontation that asks as many questions as it answers. “Burning” is at once a social parable for lower class struggles and an intimate portrait of struggling for companionship and assertiveness in an indifferent world. That’s typical Lee Chang-dong territory, and it’s a thrill to have him back. —EK

“Capernaum”

“Climax”

“Climax”

Wild Bunch

Gaspar Noé returned to Cannes by conquering the one area of the festival he had yet to screen, winning the top prize at Directors’ Fortnight for his trippy LSD-gone-wrong dance saga “Climax.” This visually striking achievement, picked up by A24 during the festival, funnels the director’s penchant for acrobatic camerawork into an alternately snazzy and disturbing look at the dissolution of community in a single, claustrophobic setting. The camera twirls around, peering up and down at its doomed characters as they careen into the depths of a drug-induced frenzy, as hypnotic beats dominate the soundtrack. But no matter its nauseating effects, Noé’s remarkable psychedelic ride is his most focused achievement, a concise package of sizzling dance numbers and jolting (often quite violent) twists that play like a slick mashup of the “Step Up” franchise and “Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom,” not to mention the disorienting cinematic trickery of Noé’s own provocative credits. After so many movies designed to divide people, it’s exciting to watch the provocateur entice his audience with catchy rhythms before dragging them to hell. This wild, unpredictable achievement will get people talking, which is nothing new for Noé, but it could also win him some fresh admirers. If so, they’re long overdue, and welcome to the party. It’s wild place. —EK

“Cold War”

“Happy as Lazzaro”

Alice Rohrwacher’s surreal follow-up to her previous Cannes winner “The Wonders” expands on her ongoing study of the way rural life is constantly threatened by urban progress. But this time, she expands on her naturalistic style with a welcome dose of magical realism, following the tale of Lazzaro (extraordinary discovery (Adriano Tardiolo), a peasant who serves an affluent family in the countryside. The life of Lazzaro and his peers seemingly exists out of time, until sudden events sent him traveling into a future state where he doesn’t quite belong. A fascinating, poetic statement on the endless march of time, “Lazzaro” fulfills the promise of Rohrwatcher’s earlier achievements while cementing her status as one of Italy’s greatest working directors. —EK

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Source: IndieWire film