careering
Sony Pictures Classics released the trailer for “The Leisure Seeker,” which reminds us that road trips aren’t just for young ‘uns. Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland star in Paolo Virzì’s English-language debut. Watch below.
Here’s the synopsis: “Traveling in their family Leisure Seeker vintage recreational vehicle, John and Ella Spencer take one last road trip from Boston to the Hemingway House in the Florida Keys before his Alzheimer’s and her cancer can catch up with them.” Mirren and Sutherland haven’t shared the screen since 1990’s “Bethune: The Making of a Hero.”
Kristy Mitchell, Christian McKay, Robert Praigo, and Janel Moloney co-star in the film, which premiered in Venice and will be released in theaters on January 19, 2018.
Source: IndieWire film
Tim Roth has collaborated with Quentin Tarantino for as long as Tarantino’s been making movies, but that very nearly wasn’t the case. The star of “Reservoir Dogs,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “The Hateful Eight” explains on “Entertainment Weekly: The Show” that he initially refused to audition because he’s “crap” at reading for roles. How did they solve this problem? By getting drunk.
“Within 20 pages, I was going, ‘Oh, I want to be in this,’” Roth says of his first impression of the screenplay. “It’s so beautifully written. It’s so keenly and intelligently written, and it’s also very funny.” However, after meeting with Tarantino and Harvey Keitel, who starred in and co-produced “Reservoir Dogs,” Roth still wasn’t into the idea of auditioning.
Keitel left, and Roth and Tarantino went to a bar; on the way back to Roth’s apartment, they stopped at a liquor store for more booze — “and proceeded to read the entire script… every part in it about 10 times because we were hammered by then. And that’s how I got the job.” Watch his full interview below.
Source: IndieWire film
Nearly 30 specialized films debuted in New York and/or Los Angeles this week. And with Yom Kippur falling right during the weekend, it meant most potentially high-end titles avoided the date (unlike last weekend).
Perhaps the highest-profile among them, “Our Souls at Night” starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, is debuting on Netflix film at the same time it played a few scattered big city play dates (grosses are not available).
Among those that opened, “Lucky” (Magnolia), Harry Dean Stanton’s second to last acting role, opened ahead of the rest. The initial limited full week (prior to its one-day showings) of “Pearl Jam: Let’s Play Two” (Abramorama) showed some strength, while “Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House” (Sony Pictures Classics) fared less well in its limited showings. An exclusive opening in Los Angeles of the surfer documentary “Take Every Wave” (IFC) in Los Angeles was impressive, more so as it is also available on Video on Demand.
Of greater interest is the limited expansion of “Victoria and Abdul” and much wider one for “The Battle of the Sexes” (Fox Searchlight), two top tier titles starting the fall onslaught. The former in fewer theaters continues to show significant promise. The latter in over 1,000 theaters was a leap of faith in going as wide as it has, with positive initial results but the determination of its future will be better seen next week.
Lucky (Magnolia) – Metacritic: 79; Festivals include: South by Southwest, Locarno 2017
$46,000 in 5 theaters; PTA: $9,200
The film nabbed decent reviews for its prime New York/Los Angeles dates, but even had Harry Dean Stanton not died two weeks ago, the iconic actor was playing an elderly man who knows his days are numbered, and scoring the best reviews of his career would have been the focus and draw for this film in any case. It landed top theater placement, with numbers that showed a good Saturday increase. Still, the under $10,000 PTA suggest this is a niche, not crossover, item.
What comes next: 10 more cities add on this Friday before a wider release.
Pearl Jam: Let’s Play Two (Abramorama) – Metacritic: 75
$55,274 in 7 theaters; PTA: $11,055
A concert film with a context, with the band playing at Wrigley Field during the Cubs’ historic 2016 season (Eddie Vedder’s fandom is front and center), opened in five cities for full week engagements. This release (200 additional Wednesday night engagements lie immediately ahead) is the latest successful hybrid event release (mostly music related, with “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” the high point) that Abramorama initiated some years ago and is now more common.
What comes next: These decent numbers should be followed by much larger ones midweek.
“Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House”
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (Sony Pictures Classics) – Metacritic: 47; Festivals include: Toronto
$35,138 in 5 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $7,028
Mediocre reviews and outright pans doomed this dramatization of the real life Deep Throat starring Liam Neeson as Mark Felt, who served as the source for Woodward and Bernstein during Watergate. For the theaters and effort supporting this release, these are rock bottom numbers.
What comes next: Three more cities open next week with the usual SPC full country specialized release ahead.
Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton (IFC) Festivals include: Sundance, Seattle 2017; also available on Video on Demand
$13,819 in 1 theater; PTA: $13,819
Veteran documentary director Rory Kennedy’s latest got an initial Los Angeles awards qualfiying date for this recap of the life and career of surfer Laird Hamilton. The result is impressive, boosted by a strong Los Angeles Times review which emphasized the visual appeal of the film. Films like this often have a strong initial day with a second day falloff (hardcore fans tend to turn out early), but this went up Saturday, which suggests potential deeper appeal. What makes it more impressive is its concurrent Video on Demand availability.
What comes next: The plans had been for limited theatrical play, but this gross could encourage more interest. Two New York theaters open this Friday.
Te Ata (Paladin) – Festivals include: San Diego 2016
$28,640 in 14 theaters; PTA: $2,046
This first-ever Chickasaw Nation-produced feature (about a renowned early 20th Century storyteller) was released initially in Oklahoma to respectable results for a regional release.
What comes next: Around 50 additional theaters from Arkansas to the West Coast open this Friday.
“Battle of the Sexes”
Melinda Sue Gordon/Twentieth Century Fox
Battle of the Sexes (Fox Searchlight)
$4,073,000 in 1,213 theaters (+1,192); PTA: $2,803; Cumulative: $4,073,000
The wisdom of the rapid expansion for this retelling of the Billie Jean King/Bobby Riggs tennis exhibition will be clearer after next weekend. The initial result is positive (including a #6 placement overall on an off weekend), if somewhat below other Searchlight expansions, with a 32 per cent uptick for Saturday. The key is going to be how positive the response is. If they gambled correctly, the results should be seen shortly. With its commercial elements (including Emma Stone and Steve Carrell in lead roles), this still has a chance to be an early fall crossover success.
Stronger (Roadside Attractions)
$986,560 in 645 theaters (+72); PTA: $1,530; Cumulative: $3,229,000
The mediocre opening for this Jake Gyllenhaal Boston Marathon bombing survivor was followed by a more normal second weekend. But the film need signs of good word of mouth to sustain this for a much longer run. This isn’t showing that, with a $5 million ultimate total gross in view but not much more.
“Victoria and Abdul”
Screenshot/Focus Features
Victoria & Abdul (Focus)
$1,031,000 in 77 theaters (+73); PTA: $13,393; Cumulative: $1,252,000
This is one of the better second weekend expansions from Focus in recent years (ahead of, for example, their Oscar contender “Loving” last year). The Stephen Frears charmer starring Dame Judi Dench showed a very strong 56 per cent increase on Saturday. This will expand to 700 theaters this Friday, and looks well positioned to see a decent crossover result.
Loving Vincent (Good Deed)
$52,886 in 4 theaters (+3); PTA: $13,322; Cumulative: $89,692
An excellent second weekend for this intriguing animation of Van Gogh’s paintings, with a second Manhattan location and two Los Angeles theaters added to the mix. This looks like it could end up above several other higher profile established distributor releases.
“Unrest”
Unrest (Independent)
$12,096 in 6 theaters (+5); PTA: $2,016; Cumulative: $25,689
This documentary about chronic fatigue syndrome (from the perspective of a directed afflicted by it) expanded to three more cities its second weekend to modest but consistent results.
Wind River (Weinstein) Week 9
$600,159 in 892 theaters (-539); Cumulative: $32,790,000
The last stages for this impressive run for a contemporary drama which benefited from the timing and breadth of its release to reach the second best initial limited release specialized film of 2017.
“Brad’s Status”
Brad’s Status (Annapurna) Week 3
$404,000 in 453 theaters (no change); Cumulative: $1,770,000
Positive reviews and Ben Stillman’s presence are doing little to sustain Mike White’s Amazon Studio pickup, a midlife introspective father/son story. The gross dropped 58 per cent with the same theater count, with Yom Kippur a factor but still a very weak performance.
Viceroy’s House (IFC) Week 5
$108,624 in 108 theaters (-8); Cumulative: $910,739
This period historical drama set in 1947 India is holding on at at minor level, with little more than a $1 million total likely.
Columbus (Superlative) Week 9
$53,640 in 49 theaters (-8); Cumulative: $836,491
Inching its way to a potentially impressive $1 million total for this true American independent film. The quiet Indiana-set drama continues to do steady business across the country.
Also noted:
Dolores (PBS) – $46,695 in 27 theaters; Cumulative: $345,685
The Big Sick (Lionsgate) – $45,000 in 81 theaters; Cumulative: $42,788,000
Rebel in the Rye (IFC) – $26,548 in 72 theaters; Cumulative: $327,765
California Typewriter (Gravitas Ventures) – $18,075 in 20 theaters; Cumulative: $185,516
Beach Rats (Neon) – $17,495 in 20 theaters; Cumulative: $437,354
Ingrid Goes West (Neon) – $13,950 in 48 theaters; Cumulative: $3,003,000
Source: IndieWire film
“It” has set several box-office records, and there will be a sequel in fall 2019. In the meantime, those obsessed with the newest adaptation of Stephen King’s novel can avail themselves of an anime designed by Mike Anderson (also known as Mikuloctopus) and animated by Kevin Duran.
“Besides the fact that I thought the new Pennywise design already had a very ‘anime’ feel to it, I thought the concepts and subject matter of Stephen King’s book would be perfect for anime,” Anderson told Entertainment Weekly.
“There seem to be fewer limits in anime. Crazy concepts and unique storytelling are almost expected. The King novel delves into mythologies and settings that a live-action movie may not have the time or budget to fully realize. And even if they could, it may not appeal to mass audiences. Taking It to an anime series would ground the story in a genre where traveling between dimensions and giant monsters are more accepted.”
The project wasn’t without its problems, as Anderson notes that he was “pretty upset that [Duran] didn’t ask me to use the artwork at all” before animating it. Watch it below.
What if “IT” was an anime?
pic.twitter.com/EAKTbvUjF2
— Kev (@KevChelios) September 28, 2017
Source: IndieWire film
Major fall season film festivals attract audiences who love movies, and the crowds that fill theaters might suggest a promising future for the medium. Then again, they represent a pretty small sampling of the country, and declining box office figures tell a much darker story about the theatrical market. But is there a way to connect the dots between the communal aspect of the film festival environment and the dire situation facing theaters around the country?
That’s one of the big picture questions tackled by Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson in this episode of Screen Talk, recorded in front of a live audience during the 2017 New York Film Festival. The pair also discussed highlights from the lineup, why “Blade Runner 2049” didn’t make the cut, and took audience questions.
Listen to the full episode below.
Screen Talk is available on iTunes.
You can subscribe here or via RSS. Share your feedback with Thompson and Kohn on Twitter or sound off in the comments. Browse previous installments here, review the show on and be sure to let us know if you’d like to hear the hosts address specific issues in upcoming editions of Screen Talk. Check out the rest of IndieWire’s podcasts on iTunes right here.
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Source: IndieWire film
The most interesting thing about Herzog and De Meuron’s newly opened concert hall, the Elbphilharmonie, isn’t its wave-like facade, which rises above …
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The beginning of ‘a new creative area,’ according to the company<p>The consumer 360-degree camera that GoPro’s been talking about since CES 2016 is finally coming to market. Today, the company took the Fusion camera out of its summer-long pilot program and, later this month, it will put it on store …
Source: CW’s Flipboard Feed
Storytelling is going through a transformation. We’re moving away from content that is 2D to content that is 3D, 360 and sometimes holographic. This is all happening because of the immersive technologies that are shifting our focus from storytelling, as we know it, to storyliving.
We will move away from being passive recipients of a story to becoming active members in them. Stories in the future will give us agency to “chose our own story” and personalize our entertainment even further.
Two technologies are leading the path in this transformation from telling to living. They are virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). VR is a digital environment in which you are fully immersed in a digital world. It essentially cuts you off from the real world. Through the use of virtual reality headsets, you are no longer looking at the real world, but instead at a digital environment. It is sometimes a world that you can interact with, where you have agency.
AR is the overlay of virtual elements into the real world. Think Pokémon Go, which used augmented reality to place digital game elements into the real world through our mobile phones. In augmented reality, the digital world is added into the real world. Eventually this will turn into mixed reality – where digital elements are overlaid into the real world and are full interactive.
In other words AR changes the world around you, VR creates new worlds.
While AR and VR are currently viewed by many brands as a marketing tactic, these technologies have huge implications for the future of work and education. Credit Suisse estimates that the VR AR market might be worth close to $600 billion by 2025. To put this in perspective, that’s roughly approaching the size of the smartphone business. Every tech giant in Silicon Valley is working on developing these technologies.
This shift in content is, of course, being powered by artificial intelligence and is happening faster than consumers think. Educating marketers and communicators on these technologies is one of my missions. That’s why I’m currently working on the 1st book on VR/AR Marketing which will be published at the end of the month.
The way we tell stories visually is evolving. While we used to be told to sit as far away from our TVs as possible, we keep moving screens closer to our eyes from mobile phones to tablets to VR headsets. Some consider AR and VR to be last screens we will use as we move from mobile phones to smart glasses. To pretend that the way we tell stories won’t change is to be naive. Visual stories will become even more immersive and more engaging as we move forward with this augmentation of content.
If you want to learn more and be part of the conversation, please join me on October 2, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. EDT for the Visual Storytelling Today show. RSVP FREE:
Already have questions you want me to address during the show? Sweet! Tweet your questions using: #myVSI
See you in the augmented world!
Source: Visual Storytelling
To commemorate the 25th edition of the SXSW Film Festival, we will spotlight careers launched, artists discovered, powerful performances, and more from our alumni with this week’s featured artist, actress, writer, and director Greta Gerwig.
Gerwig appeared in seven narrative feature films at SXSW. She frequently collaborated with previous #SXSWFilm25 featured artist Joe Swanberg, first appearing in LOL (2006), then Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007), followed by co-directing and starring in Nights and Weekends (2008).
Having appeared in over 30 films, Gerwig aslo wrote Frances Ha and Mistress America, two celebrated and popular films. Recently, Gerwig made her feature directorial debut, with Lady Bird, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival to rave reviews. Lady Bird will be released theatrically in November via A24.
We are privileged to share her #SXSWFilm25 story with you.
“I would not have a career in film without SXSW. I first came to the festival during my senior year in college, 2006, and spent five days watching movies and realizing that there was a true community being formed in independent cinema. Over the course of four different festivals I met Joe Swanberg, Ti West, Ry Russo-Young, Aaron Katz, Josh Safdie, Todd Rohal, Amy Seimetz, Allison Bagnall, Mark and Jay Duplass, Andrew Bujalski, Lena Dunham, Craig Zobel, and so many more people who inspired me and became my collaborators and friends.
What SXSW gave me, as a young actor/writer/director/producer, was a sense of belonging and a place to be heard. That is more valuable than anything else for a young artist, the knowledge that you are not doing it alone or in a void. The commitment that SXSW had to showcasing the work of people who were truly unique allowed me to trust in my own vision and path, and I will be forever grateful.”
Stay tuned to SXSW each Thursday for more 25th edition stories.
Grab your Film Badge today for primary access to all SXSW Film events including world premieres, roundtables, workshops, and parties. Register to attend by Friday, October 20 and save before prices go up in November. Make your hotel reservations through SXSW Housing & Travel for the best available rates. We hope to see you in March!
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World Premiere of The Dish & The Spoon – Photo by Erin Fotos
The post #TBT: 25 Years of SXSW Film Festival – Greta Gerwig appeared first on SXSW.
Source: SxSW Film
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