May 5, 2018

Bill Murray Channeled His Inner ‘Caddyshack’ to Help Couple Reveal the Gender of the Their Baby — Watch

Expecting parents are coming up with inventive ways to reveal the gender of their baby, but no baby gender reveal can top one that involves Bill Murray. The comedian helped Florida couple Jacqueline and Michael Davis reveal the gender of their child  during the Murray Bros. Caddyshack Golf Tournament in St. Augustine on April 26. Video of the gender reveal has debuted online and is going viral.

Murray had the main role in the Davis’ reveal. The actor hit a golfball that exploded into blue or pink glitter depending on the baby’s gender. Murray drove the ball and it exploded into blue power. Friends and family watching the reveal quickly shouted, “It’s a boy!” The couple did not know Murray would be involved in the gender reveal until they saw him standing with the golf club.

“He said it was his first gender reveal,” Jacqueline said about Murray. “I was very happy, very excited. We’re going to frame the driver.”

Watch Murray participate in the gender reveal below.



Source: IndieWire film

May 4, 2018

Journey to a SXSW Far, Far, Away With Sessions From 3 Star Wars Directors: J.J. Abrams, Gareth Edwards & Rian Johnson [Video]

May the 4th Be With You! In honor of this galactic holiday, we are sharing SXSW Conference sessions from a trio of Star Wars directors; J.J. Abrams, Gareth Edwards and Rian Johnson. Take a look!

J.J. Abrams: The Force Awakens and the Upcoming Star Wars IX

At SXSW 2016, filmmakers and tech innovators J.J. Abrams and Andrew Jarecki spoke about the relevance of the “human factor” in digital communications. From advances in digital storytelling tools to the mass adoption of social media, they explore our ability to share authentic human experiences. Longtime friends and collaborators, Abrams and Jarecki discuss their journeys, and the importance of the eyes of robots and murderers as “windows into the souls” of their characters and stories.

Gareth Edwards: Rouge One: A Star Wars Story

Gareth Edwards delivered a 2017 Film Keynote during the SXSW Conference. Rouge One: A Star Wars Story was his third feature. His directorial film debut, Monsters, world premiered at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival and we were thrilled to include him in our 25 Years series.

Rian Johnson: The Last Jedi

At the 2018 SXSW Featured Session Journey to Star Wars, Vanity Fair‘s Joanna Robinson moderated a conversation with director Rian Johnson where he was joined on stage by Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill.

Enjoy these SXSW sessions before you start your Star Wars marathons!

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

Photo by Nicola Gell/Getty Images

The post Journey to a SXSW Far, Far, Away With Sessions From 3 Star Wars Directors: J.J. Abrams, Gareth Edwards & Rian Johnson [Video] appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Film

May 3, 2018

A Conversation With Ethan Hawke at SXSW 2018 [Video]

On Tuesday, March 12, Ethan Hawke sat down with Indiewire‘s Eric Kohn during the SXSW Conference to discuss Hawke’s diverse career as a novelist, actor, director, and screenwriter, which spans more than three decades.

“I had always imagined that I was going to be a writer, and I felt like acting was a way to get started.” – Ethan Hawke

Hawke and filmmaker Richard Linklater are close friends and have collaborated on a number of different projects. Due to their encompassing relationship, Kohn asked Hawke about their history and how they began to work with each other. “I was just another 22 year old who loved Slacker,” said Hawke.

After seeing a screening of Dazed and Confused, Hawke met Linklater and the pair got along extremely well. “He [Linklater] was telling me this story about a guy meeting a girl on a train and it was going to be called Before Sunrise…I thought for sure he was offering me the movie, the way he was talking,” said Hawke. Linklater sent Hawke the script to his house and he thought his fate was sealed, but later found out it was just an invitation to audition. Hawke decided he was going to go for the part and get the role no matter what. After doing a screen test, other hoop jumping, and pointing out a rather lengthly monologue, which Hawke deemed useless in the script, he landed the role.

In addition to being a Featured Speaker, Hawke brought two films to this year’s SXSW Film Festival, Blaze – about musician Blaze Foley which he wrote and directed – and Paul Schrader‘s environmental thriller First Reformed. “It [First Reformed] is so beautifully written…we made it in the wake of the last inauguration and myself and everyone in the crew felt so happy to be working on something that we could put all this anger and confusion, and all these questions about what is a country that largely calls itself Christian or thinks of itself as a force of moral good, how can we let ourselves down so badly most of the time. It asks a lot of questions that are so important to me,” said Hawke.

First Reformed will be released via A24 on May 24, 2018. Watch the video above for the full Conversation with Ethan Hawke. 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.

Watch Now

Ethan Hawke Photo by Travis Ball/Getty Images

The post A Conversation With Ethan Hawke at SXSW 2018 [Video] appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Film

May 3, 2018

Michael Barbaro & Rukmini Callimachi on “The Daily” Live on Stage at SXSW 2018 [Video]

At SXSW 2018, Michael Barbaro, host of The New York Times audio show The Daily, kicked off his conversation with New York Times foreign correspondent Rukmini Callimachi with a probing question: “Why on earth does somebody become the world’s leading authority in journalism on terrorism and ISIS?”

In just one year, The Daily has become the top news podcast in the U.S., redefining the sound of The New York Times and introducing Times journalism to a broad new audience. From interviews with James Comey to sitting down with Tonya Harding, Michael Barbaro’s podcast covers human interest, politics, world news, and nearly every topic imaginable.

Live on-stage at SXSW, Michael Barbaro interviewed the award-winning foremost expert on Islamic terrorism. His conversation with Callimachi dives deep into her career experiences reporting on al-Qaeda and extremism from her 7-year role covering a 20-country beat in Africa to her position as West Africa Bureau Chief for The Associated Press. She discusses the tools she uses to infiltrate terrorist networks in order to better understand how ISIS and similar organizations are formed and operated.

“The better part of my brain-space on any working day is consumed with the question, how close can I get to them without getting killed?” – Callimachi

In what Barbaro describes as a “painful but enlightening conversation,” Callimachi discusses the evolution of ISIS, the horrors she witnessed first-hand in the Middle East, and the concerning road ahead as the terrorist organization transforms and continues to gain global support.

Watch the video above for the full Michael Barbaro and Rukmini Callimachi 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.

Watch Now

Photo by Will Blake

The post Michael Barbaro & Rukmini Callimachi on “The Daily” Live on Stage at SXSW 2018 [Video] appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Film

May 3, 2018

Field of View Comparator

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Source: CW’s Flipboard Feed

April 29, 2018

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Crushes Everything in Its Path, but It’s Still Not Quite the Biggest Opening Ever

“Avengers: Infinity War” opened at an estimated $250 million, at least 10 percent ahead of its biggest advance guesses. Even $200 million (just below “Black Panther”) would have been incredible; at this level, it’s historic. Unadjusted, it will beat out “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the reboot that opened to $248 million in December 2015.

Marvel Studios

Worldwide (which does not include China, yet to open) is another best ever, totaling $630 million and substantially ahead of “The Fate of the Furious” last May, which debuted to $541 million worldwide. “Fate” did better in its foreign bow, but the release patterns make this a difficult comp; “Avengers” overseas did $380 million, but that doesn’t yet include China. (Oddly, for most countries “Avengers” didn’t score as the best opening ever.)

In North America, it is the biggest reported number of all time — but then there’s adjusting for the killjoy reality of ticket prices. In adjusted numbers, “The Force Awakens” is still number one at $261 million. That could suggest “Infinity War” sold fewer tickets, but even that comes with a caveat given the relative percentage of premium versus non-3D or IMAX tickets sold. (Disney reports 62 percent of the gross for “Infinity” came from 2D, while “Force” was a slight majority premium). We’ll never know for sure, but it appears about an equal number of tickets were sold.

Matt Kennedy

The bigger picture is that the domestic total for “Avengers” was $48 million better than the phenomenal “Black Panther.” It is ahead of both earlier “Avengers” titles (adjusted $235 million and $204 million), and it didn’t even have the benefit of holiday or summer dating. That it comes less than three months after “Black Panther” made nearly $700 million shows that “Panther” only created more interest — and likely, more fans — for its world.

Disney

Other studios vacated the date ahead of this behemoth and “Infinity” sold about 83 percent of all tickets this weekend, leaving about $51 million worth of business for other films. It also means that 2018 no longer lags behind 2017 year to date and with several strong titles arriving soon and more throughout the summer, the prognosis looks strong. That “Infinity” scored so much better than estimates suggests the franchise machine is what matters most to keeping Hollywood running at full strength.

Its dominance knocked the wind out of nearly all competitors; only one film in the top 10 fell less than 49 percent. That would be “Black Panther,” which fell only 11 percent, jumped from #8 to number #5, and had a per-theater average even better than last weekend’s. All that makes the potential battle between the two Marvel titles for Marvel’s ultimate #1 that much more interesting.

Paramount Pictures

Under the circumstances, “A Quiet Place” held up well. At second place in its fourth weekend, it’s made $148 million. However, #3 title “I Feel Pretty” also fell 49 percent; the Amy Schumer comedy needs a better hold to justify its $32 million budget.

The more male-oriented “Rampage” fell 65 percent and “Ready Player One” was down 67 percent. Dwayne Johnson’s star vehicle will get to $90 million domestic, scoring the far side of $300 million foreig. Spielberg’s film will see over three quarters of its take overseas.

The Top Ten

1. Avengers: Infinity War (Disney) NEW – Cinemascore: A; Metacritic: 68; est. budget: $300 million

$250,000,000 in 4,475 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $55,878,000; Cumulative: $250,000,000

2. A Quiet Place (Paramount) Week 4; Last weekend #1

$10,650,000 (-49%) in 3,565 theaters (-243); PTA: $2,987; Cumulative: $148,173,000

3. I Feel Pretty (STX) Week 2; Last weekend #3

$8,130,000 (-49%) in 3,440 theaters (no change); PTA: $2,363; Cumulative: $29,574,000

4. Rampage (Warner Bros.) Week 3; Last weekend #2

$7,105,000 (-65%) in 3,508 theaters (-607); PTA: $2,025; Cumulative: $77,931,000

5. Black Panther (Disney) Week 11; Last weekend #8

$4,381,000 (-11%) in 1,650 theaters (-280); PTA: $2,655; Cumulative: $688,009,000

6. Super Troopers 2 (20th Century Fox) Week 2 ; Last weekend #4

$3,600,000 (-76%) in 2,125 theaters (+87); PTA: $1,694; Cumulative: $22,085,000

7. Truth or Dare (Universal) Week 3; Last weekend #5

$3,210,000 (-59%) in 2,420 theaters (-648); PTA: $1,326; Cumulative: $35,317,000

8. Blockers (Universal) Week 4; Last weekend #7

$2,945,000 (-57%) in 2,324 theaters (-810); PTA: $1,267; Cumulative: $53,215,000

9. Ready Player One (Warner Bros.) Week 5; Last weekend #6

$2,435,000 (-67%) in 2,365 theaters (-843); PTA: $1,030; Cumulative: $130,683,000

10. Traffik (Lionsgate) Week 2; Last weekend #9

$1,620,000 (-59%) in 1,046 theaters (no change); PTA: $1,549; Cumulative: $6,752,000

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Source: IndieWire film

April 29, 2018

Bill Maher Tells ‘Dear Friend’ Roseanne Barr She ‘Impulse-Purchased a Trump’ — Watch

Bill Maher and Roseanne Barr are longtime friends, and so it was with genuine affection that he turned his most recent “New Rules” segment into an open letter to her. Barr, whose recently returned sitcom “Roseanne” has proven to be a ratings juggernaut, is also an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump — something that makes no sense to Maher. “You saw a miracle product on TV and you ordered it,” he said. “You impulse-purchased a Trump.”

“It promised to drain swamps, build walls, and make things great again, but you got it home and it flooded your basement, maxed out your credit cards, and dropped your phone in the toilet,” Maher added.

Barr’s character on “Roseanne” is a member of the working class, making her an avatar for Trump’s base. “Like it or not,” Maher said, “you are now the face of the Trump supporter because you really do speak for a certain kind of American who knows they’re being screwed by someone, they just don’t know who. But here’s what you’re missing about Trump: When he says he’s ‘looking out for ‘the little guy,’ he’s talking about his dick. And as your friend, Roseanne, I must remind you of something very important: You’re a socialist! You’ve been one for 30 years.”

He then pointed toward a number of comments Barr had made to that effect over the years, including suggesting a “maximum wage.”

“I get that you were mad as hell and wanted to throw a monkey wrench into the whole works, and I won’t judge that,” Maher continued. “But if in the next six months you don’t see Trump’s magic starting to work for you, if you’re still trading pills and driving an Uber, wouldn’t the more realistic plot line for season two be your disillusionment with Donald Trump?” Watch the full segment below.

Source: IndieWire film

April 29, 2018

Forbidden Romance ‘Disobedience’ Soars at Specialty Box Office

Thanks to two stars named Rachel — Weisz and McAdams — “Disobedience” led a batch of new films from arthouse auteurs this weekend. This story of forbidden love in a London synagogue setting, like director Sebastián Lelio’s Oscar-winning “A Fantastic Woman,” deals with gay characters fighting for their right to love despite societal taboos. It doubles the opening numbers of any film from Bleecker Street.

Claire Denis’ “Let the Sunshine In” (IFC) also opened unexpectedly strong in New York. But “Mustang” director Deniz Gamze Erguven’s English-language debut “Kings,” and “Duck Butter,” Miguel Arteta’s follow-up to “Beatriz at Dinner,” saw much less impact.

Among holdovers, “Isle of Dogs” (Fox Searchlight) is wrapping up its national run as it heads to a decent $30 million total.  “Disobedience” shows the need for fresh titles to feed the hungry specialized audience.

Opening

Disobedience (Bleecker Street) Metacritic: 73; Festivals include: Toronto 2017, Tribeca 2018

$241,276 in 5 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $48,255

This strong opening for the first English-language film for Chilean director Sebastián Lelio — second to “Isle of Dogs” among limited openers this year — comes shortly after his “A Fantastic Woman” won the Foreign Language Oscar. Made in Britain, this gay romance in a conservative Jewish religious world (similar to well-received “Foxtrot” and “Menashe”) continues his interest in female characters (see “Gloria”). Intensive marketing and Q and As also built interest.  Strong interest for the film projects to a much potential ahead.

What comes next: 21 theaters in eight additional markets add to the initial New York/Los Angeles dates this Friday.

Let the Sunshine In (IFC) Metacritic: 78; Festivals include: Cannes, New York, AFI 2017; also available on Video on Demand

$40,267 in 2 theaters; PTA: $20,133

Veteran director Claire Denis (“Beau Travail”) returns with Juliette Binoche supported by a who’s-who of French actors. This drama of an older woman juggling multiple men opened in two New York theaters to strong results — especially for a subtitled film — and received good reviews and help from some personal appearances. But on its own the film shows that with the right elements a French film can still make an initial splash to urban sophisticates.

What comes next: Along with its limited (iTunes not included) premium price video on demand sites, this opens in Los Angeles this week, with additional cities scheduled, including support from Landmark Theatres.

Kings (The Orchard) Metacritic: 34; Festivals include: Toronto 2017

$173,113 in 218 theaters; PTA: $809

Deniz Gamze Erguven, another acclaimed director with success in the tricky subtitled market (her French-Turkish “Mustang” was a recent Oscar nominee), makes her English language debut with this story of a sprawling South Los Angeles family struggling to survive the 1992 uprising. Despite stars Halle Berry and Daniel Craig, bad reviews after the Toronto premiere doomed this national release. A majority of screens grossed under $1,000.

What comes next: The cast will draw later home viewing interest.

Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival

Duck Butter (The Orchard) Metacritic: 60; Festivals include: Tribeca 2018

$3,360 in 2 theaters; PTA: $1,680

Veteran Miguel Arteta (who had some success with “Beatriz at Dinner” last year) returns with this improvisational comedy about a very passionate young couple who hook up. It premiered after its Tribeca Festival premiere in New York and Los Angeles to a small gross.

What comes next: This looks to have limited theatrical chances, but should gain some home viewing attention.

Week Two

Ghost Stories (IFC) (also available on Video on Demand)

$28,032 in 12 theaters (+11); PTA: $2,336; Cumulative: $45,128

This acclaimed British horror anthology added more cities parallel to its home viewing availability.

Godard Mon Amour (Cohen)

$14,747 in 17 theaters (+13); PTA: $867; Cumulative: $31,912

Fifty years after these events in the career of the great New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard –and just before his latest film debuts in competition at Cannes– this film from “The Artist” director Michel Hazanavicius expanded to minor response.

After Auschwitz (Passion River)

$14,331 in 11 theaters (+9); PTA: $1,303; Cumulative: $26,000

This documentary, which relates the stories of six female Holocaust survivors and their lives after their unspeakable trauma, added five markets after its New York debut last week to modest results. Los Angeles and San Francisco are among new cities this weekend.

The Devil and Father Armoth (The Orchard) (also available on Video on Demand)  8-11

$2,543 in 6 theaters (+4); PTA: $424; Cumulative: $13,432

Streaming was added this week, where most of the viewing will be for William Friedkin’s documentary return to the world of exorcisms.

Ongoing/expanding (grosses over $50,000)

Isle of Dogs (Fox Searchlight) Week 6

$1,400,000 in 1,001 theaters (-946); Cumulative: $27,021,000

Wes Anderson’s second animated feature has now past the gross of his earlier “Fantastic Mr. Fox” which grossed $25,200,000 (adjusted) in 2009. And it did that without the year end holiday boost “Fox” received.

You Were Never Really Here (Amazon) Week 3

$351,831 in 233 theaters (+50); Cumulative: $1,795,000

Amazon has pushed Lynne Ramsay’s acclaimed drama with Joaquin Phoenix out to theaters nationwide. The tough subject matter looks to be limiting the response with further expansion leading to diminished results.

Beirut (Bleecker Street) Week 3

$257,779 in 237 theaters (-518); Cumulative: $4,502,000

Jon Hamm’s latest leading role in this Mideast hostage rescue drama is fading fast with a mid-level wide release looking to come in around $5 million.

Lean On Pete (A24) Week 4

$240,380 in 167 theaters (+98); Cumulative: $665,110

The first American film from Andrew Haigh (“45 Years”) is getting a nationwide art house release. The response so far has been modest for this coming-of-age story of a teenager who finds purpose when he bonds with a horse.

The Death of Stalin (IFC) Week 8

$210,478 in 150 theaters (-60); Cumulative: $7,203,000

Political/historical satire, particularly for events over 60 years ago in a foreign setting, is not an easy sell. That makes the total for this imagining of how the Soviet tyrant’s demise went down even more impressive. This didn’t achieve (nor was expected to) the crossover appeal of some recent specialized successes, but has more than doubled the result of “Veep” director Armando Iannucci’s earlier contemporary American-set “In the Loop.”

The Rider (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 3

$188,338 in 37 theaters (+28); Cumulative: $357,672

Chloe Zhao’s heartland portrait is gaining traction as it widens. Though its average theater is grossing around a quarter of “The Death of Stalin” at around the same number of venues, it saw a healthy Saturday increase and some signs that word of mouth will sustain this as it expands further to a decent result.

Courtesy of Roadside Attractions

Finding Your Feet (Roadside Attractions) Week 5

$123,790 in 102 theaters (-89); Cumulative: $1,158,000

This middle-age English romantic comedy looks to be on its last legs.

The Leisure Seeker (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 17

$104,759 in 117 theaters (-6); Cumulative: $2,890,000

Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland’s RV road trip, now entering its fifth months, keeps rolling along as it approaches $3 million.

Also noted:

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (Kino Lorber) – $41,059 in theaters; Cumulative: $182,432

Final Portrait (Sony Pictures Classics)  – $37,620 in 69 theaters; Cumulative: $374,721

Izthak (Greenwich) – $34,620 in 30 theaters; Cumulative:  $383,105

1945 (Menemsha)  – $32,295 in 15 theaters; Cumulative: $604,160

Back to Burgundy (Music Box) – $13,760 in 10 theaters; Cumulative: $186,116

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Source: IndieWire film

April 29, 2018

Ashley Judd Shares Letter With Survivors of Sexual Assault: ‘Healing Is Our Birthright’

Ashley Judd shared a letter with sexual-assault survivors during a Time’s Up panel at the Tribeca Film Festival yesterday, declaring that “healing is our birthright” and “We can heal. That has been my experience.” Her discussion was with #MeToo founder Tarana Burke.

“We may not know, admittedly, how to or even from what we need to heal. It may be the event itself or vivid or dull memories of it, and it is entirely plausible that we don’t even remember the event,” Judd says. She was one of the first women to publicly accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment last fall.

“Healing is our birthright,” she continued. “It was not our birthright to be sexually harassed or assaulted or raped based on social constructs of gender, biology, sex, identity, orientation, ethnicity, race, ability, or any intersection thereof. It is our birthright to know in our bones that it wasn’t our fault. We humans hurt each other and sometimes we hurt ourselves, but we can make decisions and take actions that free us.”

“This is not fair. Let’s be plain,” Judd said. “It isn’t right or fair that one out of four girls and one out of six boys will be sexually assaulted, by conservative estimates, by the age of 18 — amongst other catastrophic statistics. But, and this is everything, my friends, when we become aware of our pain and have some education about it, we become responsible for addressing our pain in effective and healthy ways.”

“You are not alone. I believe you, and it wasn’t your fault,” she said at the end of her letter. “The facts do remain the facts, but we know our preciousness and our fierceness. Healing, damn it, is our birthright.”

Source: IndieWire film