Join us for the third installment of our daily Podcast updates from the 2015 TriBeCa Film Festival in New York!
Good Kill
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2014 Length: 103 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: US
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Andrew Niccol Screenwriter: Andrew Niccol Producer: Andrew Niccol, Nicolas Chartier, Zev Foreman, Mark Amin Editor: Zach Staenberg, A.C.E. Cinematographer: Amir Mokri Executive Producer: Cami Winikoff, Tyler Boehm, Patrick Newall, Ted Gidlow Cast: Ethan Hawke, Bruce Greenwood, Zoe Kravitz, Jake Abel, January Jones
The Diplomat
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 104 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: David Holbrooke Screenwriter: David Holbrooke Producer: Stacey Reiss Editor: Seth Bomse Associate Producer: Julian Feller-Cohen, Amani Vance Cinematographer: Adam Vardy, Richard Dallett, Jim Hurst, Bao Nguyen Executive Producer: Scott Berrie, Tom Freston, Barbara and Andrew Gundlach, Marshall Sonenshine, Louis Venezia. Composer: Graham Reynolds Co-Producer: Sarah Holbrooke, Emily McAllister Executive Producer for HBO: Sheila Nevins Senior Producer for HBO: Nancy Abraham
Backtrack
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 90 minutes Language: English Country:Australia Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Michael Petroni Screenwriter: Michael Petroni Producer: Jamie Hilton, Antonia Barnard, Michael Petroni Editor: Martin Connor, Luke Doola Cinematographer: Stefan Duscio Executive Producer: Compton Ross, Phil Hunt, David Evans Cast: Adrien Brody, Sam Neill, Robin McLeavy, Bruce Spence, Jenni Baird
Applesauce
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 91 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Onur Tukel Screenwriter: Onur Tukel Producer: Melodie Sisk, Karl Jacob, Matt Grady, Greg Newman Editor: Justin Kavoussi, Onur Tukel Associate Producer: Max Heller, Alston Brown Cinematographer: Jason Banker Executive Producer: Onur Tukel, Clifford McCurdy Composer: Michael Montes Cast: Dylan Baker, Trieste Kelly Dunn, Max Casella, Jennifer Prediger, Onur Tukel, Karl Jacob
Tenured
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 82 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Chris Modoono Screenwriter: Chris Modoono, Gil Zabarsky Producer: Paul Bernon, Sam Slater Editor: Bryan Gaynor Cinematographer: Tom Campbell Executive Producer: Sev Ohanian Composer: Cormac Bluestone Cast: Gil Zabarsky , Kate Flannery, Kathleen Littlefield, Maddux Berry, Emily Wilson, Marc Evan Jackson
Hungry Hearts
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2014 Length: 113 minutes Language: English Country:Italy Premiere: US
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Saverio Costanzo Screenwriter: Saverio Costanzo Producer: Mario Gianani, Lorenzo Mieli Editor: Francesca Calvelli Cinematographer: Fabio Cianchetti Executive Producer: Riccardo Neri, Louistisne, Olivia Sleiter, Christopher Marsh Cast: Adam Driver, Alba Rohrwacher, Roberta Maxwell, Al Roffe, Geisha Otero
Live from New York, it’s our second Podcast from the 2015 TriBeCa Film Festival!
Slow Learners
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 96 minutes Language: Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce Screenwriter: Matt Serword Producer: Tommy Joyner, Jamie Lokoff, Brian O’Connor, Tammy Tiehel-Stedman Editor: Demian Fenton Cinematographer: Chase Bowman Composer: The Wellspring Story by: Matt Serword, Peter C. Swords Casting by: Allison Jones Cast: Adam Pally, Sarah Burns, Reid Scott, Catherine Reitman, Mary Grill, Kevin Dunn
As I AM: The Life and Times of DJ AM
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 102 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Kevin Kerslake Screenwriter: Kevin Kerslake Producer: Robert Bruce, Dan Franklin, Kevin Kerslake, Joel Marcus Editor: Joel Marcus Associate Producer: Olivia Barash, Butch Mayo, Seven McDonald Cinematographer: Kevin Kerslake Executive Producer: Andrea Gross, Todd Andrew Alstrup, Sacha Cohen, Balthazar Getty, Noel Lohr, Cheryl Horner Sirulnick Co-Producer: John Beug, Kate Franklin, Scott Pascucci, Kevin Scott, Jonathan Shecter Cast: Adam Goldstein (aka DJ AM), Mark Ronson, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Steve Aoki, Jon Favreau, Diplo
Wondrous Boccaccio
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 121 minutes Language: Italian Country:Italy Premiere: International
Year: 2015 Length: 103 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Sean Mewshaw Screenwriter: Desi Van Til Producer: Kristin Hahn, Margot Hand, Aaron L. Gilbert Editor: Sandra Adair, Suzy Elmiger Cinematographer: Seamus Tierney Executive Producer: Desi Van Til, Jason Cloth Composer: Daniel Hart, Damien Jurado Co-Producer: Erika Hampson Cast: Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, Joe Manganiello, Richard Masur
Emelie
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 103 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Sean Mewshaw Screenwriter: Desi Van Til Producer: Kristin Hahn, Margot Hand, Aaron L. Gilbert Editor: Sandra Adair, Suzy Elmiger Cinematographer: Seamus Tierney Executive Producer: Desi Van Til, Jason Cloth Composer: Daniel Hart, Damien Jurado Co-Producer: Erika Hampson Cast: Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, Joe Manganiello, Richard Masur
Join the Moviewallas live from the TriBeCa Film Festival 2015. Here is the first of our daily festival Podcast installments
Bare
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 91 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Natalia Leite Screenwriter: Natalia Leite Producer: Alexandra Roxo, Natalia Leite, Chad Burris Editor: Joe Murphy Cinematographer: Tobias Datum Executive Producer: Giorgio Guglielmino, Dennis Mykytyn, Christopher J. Scott, Jasper Zweibel Composer: Kyp Malone Production Designer: Lisa Myers Music Supervisor: Joe Rudge Cast: Dianna Agron, Paz de la Huerta, Chris Zylka, Louisa Krause
On the Town
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 1949 Length: 98 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: Special Screening
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen Screenwriter: Adolph Green, Betty Comden Producer: Arthur Freed Cinematographer: Harold Rosson Cast: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Vera-Ellen
Sleeping with Other People
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 101 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: New York
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Leslye Headland Screenwriter: Leslye Headland Producer: Sidney Kimmel, Jessica Elbaum, Adam McKay, Will Ferrell Editor: Paul Frank Cinematographer: Ben Kutchins Executive Producer: Jim Tauber, Carla Hacken, Matt Berenson, Bruce Toll Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Adam Scott, Jason Mantzoukas, Natasha Lyonne, Katherine Waterston
Meadowland
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 95 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Reed Morano Screenwriter: Chris Rossi Producer: Margot Hand, Olivia Wilde, Aaron L. Gilbert, Matt Tauber Editor: Madeleine Gavin Cinematographer: Reed Morano Executive Producer: Jennifer Levine, Jason Cloth, Jennifer Levine, Allan Stitt, Alex Garcia, Santiago Garcia Galvan, Marla Rand, Scott Peterson, Laura Selig Composer: Adam Taylor Co-Producer: Erika Hampson, Chris Rossi Cast: Olivia Wilde, Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Elisabeth Moss, John Leguizamo, Juno Temple, Scott Mescudi, Merritt Wever, Kevin Corrigan, Ty Simpkins, Mark Feuerstein
Grandma
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 79 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: New York
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Paul Weitz Screenwriter: Paul Weitz Producer: Andrew Miano, Paul Weitz, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas Editor: Jonathan Corn A.C.E. Cinematographer: Tobias Datum Executive Producer: Stephanie Meurer, Dan Balgoyen, Danielle Renfrew Behrens Composer: Joel P. West Co-Producer: Brenda Vogel Cast: Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer, Laverne Cox, Sam Elliott
Mojave
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 93 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: World
CAST & CREDITS
Director: William Monahan Screenwriter: William Monahan Producer: William Green, William Monahan, Justine Suzanne Jones, Aaron L. Ginsburg Editor: John David Allen Cinematographer: Don Davis Executive Producer: Andy Horwitz, Nick Quested, Jason Spire Composer: Andrew Hewitt Cast: Garrett Hedlund, Oscar Isaac, Louise Bourgoin, Walton Goggins
The Overnight
FILM INFORMATION
Year: 2015 Length: 79 minutes Language: English Country:USA Premiere: New York
CAST & CREDITS
Director: Patrick Brice Screenwriter: Patrick Brice Producer: Naomi Scott Editor: Chris Donlon Cinematographer: John Guleserian Executive Producer: Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Adam Scott Composer: Julian Wass Production Designer: Theresa Guleserian Sound Designer: Gene Park Sound Mixer: Sean O’Malley Music Superviser : Chris Swanson Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godreche
SOMETHING MUST BREAK (Original Swedish title: Nanting Maste Ga Sonder) is an astonishing film.
It tracks the progression of a relationship between two unlikely individuals with a rigid honesty that is a little reminiscent of BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR. Sebastian works in the backrooms of a furniture store in Stockholm. Andreas comes from a more affluent background.
Publicity still for SOMETHING MUST BREAK
One day, as bullies taunting Sebastian for his androgynous looks are about to get violent, Andreas steps in to help. Gradually the two, both in their early twenties, start spending time together with the start and sputter rhythm of individuals not entirely sure of where they are headed. As the relationship progresses to something deeper and physical, Andreas is caught off guard, unable to reconcile the significance of this development with his otherwise traditional life. He doesn’t even consider himself gay. Long unmoored with regard gender identity and comfortable with it, Sebastian too suddenly finds himself starting to gravitate toward the possible emergence of a female persona of himself: Ellie. And the all-consuming connection between Andreas and Sebastian inevitably takes a dark turn. Think of this as a stark, spare version of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH.
This could have been a preachy film. But it has no interest in polemics or political statements. Like its central character, the film is not too concerned about labels that viewers may ascribe to it…too uncomfortable, too gay, too extreme. It simply tells this specific story without filter, without condescension, without judgment. Where most films, either out of tact or politeness, stop when a character closes the door, this one walks in behind the door with the character. Sebastian makes plenty of terrible choices and mistakes. The film (based on a novel of the same name) has no intention to edify Sebastian or turn this individual into some sort of role model, and in doing so actually humanizes him. I do not know that I have seen a better on-screen treatment of a person forging through a gender identity crisis. What is particularly commendable is that while Sebastian is the more atypical character, the film is as much interested in Andreas as it is in Sebastian. And one can argue as to which of the two goes through a greater transformation during the course of this story.
Publicity Still for SOMETHING MUST BREAK
I give this film credit simply for being what it is about. And being in-your-face unapologetic about it. It may be a film about the first connection between a man who wants to be a woman and another man who starts to question what it is to be masculine. But in its honesty, it demonstrates the universal struggle of any person who learns to come into their own, and the pain as well as the grace of the process.
The film ALEX OF VENICE made me think about how we think about films.
Publicity still for ALEX OF VENICE, directed by Chris Messina
I have noticed, more so of late, that most people are eager to stamp a film as belonging to a particular genre, and then in the same breath penalize it for being just another example of that genre. For example, a film will get labeled a British comedy and then criticized for not living up to the standards of good British comedy. But why should a film have to be this, or that? Why cannot it just be a slice of life. With no aspirations other than that. Is that not enough? ALEX OF VENICE is the sort of film I watched and then wanted to hug afterward. Many will brush it aside as inconsequential, trite even. But I warmed up to it. And later, just believed in it. And you can’t say that about much of cinema these days.
A great deal of the film’s success lies in the casting of Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the lead. Winstead, like Shailene Woodley or Brie Larson, has such an honest, open screen presence, that the audience instinctively rallies behind her. To have a protagonist in a film that the viewer automatically roots for is half the battle won. Contrary to expectation, ALEX OF VENICE is not about a man in Italy. Its about a girl named Alex (Winstead) who lives near Venice, California.
Publicity still for ALEX OF VENICE
Alex, an attorney at a grassroots organization, returns home from work one evening to be told by her husband (Chris Messina, who also makes his directorial debut with this film) that he has had enough of being the stay at home dad to their ten year old son, and wants out for a while. He is gone the next morning. Which leaves Alex’s life suddenly thrown into a whirlwind. Her father (an unexpectedly wry Don Johnson, who plays a famous former television star, natch) invites Alex’s free-spirit sister (the plucky Katy Nehra, who also shares writing credits) to come stay with them to help things out. As much as Alex struggles to reach a new equilibrium, it stays persistently out of reach. How do you convince a son pining for his father that things may never return to how they used to be? How do we reconcile with our parents’ worsening health, striking the balance between keeping your pride and granting them dignity? How do we negotiate the boundaries of a siblings’ involvement in our lives? Who amongst us has not dealt with all of this. The film deals with these issues with a lightness of hand and even though it tows toward being a mainstream film, it also pulls off being authentic.
Plus how can you find fault with a film that finds roles for Jennifer Jason Leigh and Beth Grant. Chris Messina, who has quietly being creating a fine resume of acting credits (VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA, ARGO, the underrated 28 HOTEL ROOMS, and many television credits including THE MINDY SHOW), shows remarkable empathy behind the camera as well, and I am eager to see what he helms next. He has already demonstrated uncommon savviness with picking the soulful Mary Elizabeth Winstead to be main player in his directorial debut.
