Thursday, 30 June 2016
Repertory Pick: Agnès Varda in New York
See the Re-Release Trailer for the Coen Bros' First Film 'Blood Simple'
"Something can always go wrong…" Janus Films has unveiled a trailer for the upcoming restored re-release of the Coen Brothers' first film, Blood Simple, which first hit theaters in 1985 - 31 years ago. The film is still regarded as one of the Coens' best and is a crime thriller about a bar owner who figures out his wife is having an affair and tries to hire a private investigator to kill her and her new lover, a bartender at his bar. The film stars Dan Hedaya, Frances McDormand, John Getz, M. Emmet Walsh and Samm-Art Williams. Along with the trailer, there's a flashy poster (seen below) to compliment the re-release. Those who haven't seen this classic crime film yet, this is a perfect opportunity to catch it on the big screen. Enjoy.
Here's the new re-release trailer for the Coen Brothers' film Blood Simple, in high def from Apple:
Deep in the heart of Texas, a bar owner (Dan Hedaya) suspects his wife (Frances McDormand) is having an affair with one of his employees (John Getz). Hiring a private detective (M. Emmet Walsh) to follow the pair, his suspicions are confirmed—but he soon finds the crosshairs turned back on himself. Blood Simple is the very first feature film directed by the Coen Brothers. It premiered at the Deauville Film Festival in 1984, and also played at the Sundance, New York and Toronto Film Festivals before hitting theaters in 1985. It was first re-released as a director's cut in 2000. Janus will be re-releasing a restored version of Blood Simple in select theaters starting July 1st this summer, followed by a Criterion release on September 20th.
Don't Miss It - The First 'Art House Theater Day' Will Be This September
Three cheers for art house cinemas! Following in the footsteps of Record Store Day and Free Comic Book Day, an annual event will be taking place this September called "Art House Theater Day". This special celebration of art house / independent cinemas will take place on September 24th, and this will be the inaugural year. The event has its own official website with details and theater listings, but we're not exactly sure if it will involve free screenings of movies. Maybe, but it's up to every individual theater to figure out what they're doing for AHTD. We've always been big supporters of art house cinemas and movie theaters of all sizes, and it's great to see a nationwide coordinated event to celebrate them. Add it to your calendar now.
Here's the description from the short official website, explaining the concept behind Art House Theater Day:
Art House Theater Day celebrates the art house theater and the cultural role it plays in a community. It is a day to recognize the year-round contributions of film and filmmakers, patrons, projectionists, and staff, and the brick and mortar theaters that are passionately dedicated to providing access to the best cinematic experience.
The Art House Theater Day is sponsored by GKids, Indiegogo, Janus Films, Magnolia Pictures, Cinelife and Eclair. For a full map showing all of the participating cinemas - click here. As far as we can tell, most of the art house cinemas around the United States are involved - all the Alamo Drafthouses, the IFC Center in New York City, the Egyptian in Los Angeles, and pretty much every other tiny movie theater still in operation today. "A day to celebrate cinemas that stand the test of time and the tremendous film culture that art house theaters promote." This sounds like such a great idea and we're happy to support it, as art house cinemas are some of our favorite places to spend the afternoon or the evening seeing indie films and documentaries.
iClouds of Sils Maria
James Franco & Bryan Cranston Battle in First Trailer for 'Why Him?'
Of all the guys his daughter could have chosen… Why Him? 20th Century Fox has debuted a trailer for the new comedy Why Him?, about a father dealing with the totally insane boy that his charming daughter has chosen to marry. Bryan Cranston stars as the father, and James Franco stars as the boy - a tattoo-covered "internet billionaire", with Zoey Deutch as his daughter. The full cast includes Megan Mullally, Keegan-Michael Key, Griffin Gluck, Andrew Rannells, Casey Wilson and Zack Pearlman. I get what they're going for with this, but some of the scenes in this are excruciatingly bad. That said, the battles between Cranson and Franco might be amusing. Give the red band trailer a whirl and tell us what you think.
Here's the first red band trailer for John Hamburg's comedy Why Him?, direct from Fox's YouTube:
And here's the alternate green band trailer for Why Him? from YouTube, for those who want to compare:
Over the holidays, Ned (Bryan Cranston), an overprotective but loving dad and his family visit his daughter at Stanford, where he meets his biggest nightmare: her well-meaning but socially awkward Silicon Valley billionaire boyfriend, Laird (James Franco). The straight-laced Ned thinks Laird, who has absolutely no filter, is a wildly inappropriate match for his daughter. The one-sided rivalry—and Ned’s panic level—escalate when he finds himself increasingly out of step in the glamorous high-tech hub, and learns that Laird is about to pop the question. Why Him? is directed by John Hamburg, of Safe Men, Along Came Polly and I Love You Man previously. The screenplay is by John Hamburg and Ian Helfer. 20th Century Fox will open Why Him? in theaters starting Christmas Day, December 25th, this year. Worth it?
Watch: Ellen Page Takes a Baby in Official Trailer for Indie 'Tallulah'
"That's just no way to live, she needs you…" Netflix has debuted the official trailer for an indie film called Tallulah, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Ellen Page stars as Tallulah, a struggling homeless woman who ends up with an impromptu babysitting job for a wealthy, careless mother and takes the baby for herself. This is a drama but has some good levity in it, as you'll see in this trailer. Tallulah is trying to do the right thing by actually giving the baby genuine love and care, which her real mother was not providing. Also starring Allison Janney, Tammy Blanchard, Zachary Quinto, John Benjamin Hickey and Uzo Aduba. It's a solid film, with a strong performance by Ellen Page. Take a look.
Here's the first official trailer for Sian Heder's Tallulah, direct from Netflix's YouTube:
Tells the story of young vagabond, Lu (Ellen Page), who lives in a van and is fiercely independent in her hand-to-mouth existence. When a chance encounter incites her to impulsively "rescue" a baby from a negligent mother, Lu, at a loss for what to do, turns to the only responsible adult she knows: Margo (Allison Janney), who mistakenly believes she's the child's grandmother. Tallulah is both written and directed by Sian Heder, making her feature directing debut after working on the show "Orange is the New Black". The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it was acquired by Netflix. They will be releasing Tallulah exclusively on Netflix starting July 29th this summer. Anyone interested?
Must Watch: First Trailer for Terrence Malick's Doc 'Voyage of Time'
"The universe… billions of years in the making." Four decades in the making, it's time to finally experience Terrence Malick's new documentary Voyage of Time later this year. The first trailer has debuted online for the epic IMAX documentary which spans the entirety of time as we know it - from the big bang and the beginning of the universe to the dinosaur age to the age of humans. The description claims this initial release will only be 40 minutes, featuring Brad Pitt narration, when it hits IMAX theaters this October. Hopefully there's a longer version that will be released down the line, but for now this is an exciting look at what's to come. This trailer features footage of galaxies being created and cells being formed and animals taking shape, and it looks so mesmerizing. I can't wait to see this! Bring on Malick's journey through time.
Here's the first trailer for Terrence Malick's IMAX documentary Voyage of Time, direct from YouTube:
Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience is a one-of-a-kind celebration of life and the grand history of the cosmos, transporting audiences into a vast yet up-close-and personal journey that spans the eons from the Big Bang to the dinosaur age to our present human world… and beyond. A labor of love from one of American cinema’s most acclaimed and visually exciting filmmakers, Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line, The Tree of Life), Voyage of Time has been nearly four decades in the making and represents the filmmaker’s first foray into documentary storytelling. The film’s panorama of awe-inspiring images will take you into the heart of monumental events never witnessed — from the birth of the stars and galaxies to the explosion of diverse life-forms on planet earth, including humankind — in immersive new ways that only IMAX can deliver. This is a cosmic experience — a hymn to the glories of nature, life and scientific discovery — in which all the elements come together to form Malick’s most original film to date. Terrence Malick's Voyage of Time will be initially released in IMAX theaters starting October 7th this fall. You in?