Filmmakers and executives, creatives of music, theater and art remembered Tom Luddy as friend and mentor, tastemaker and cultural force who deployed an astonishingly vast network to nurture talent and bring people and projects together over decades.
The co-founder of the Telluride Film Festival passed away in February.
“I am thinking of getting a tattoo of you on my arm,” said Irish director Mark Cousins at tribute event at the Paris Theatre over the weekend. “Here is Hitchcock on my arm, and here is and Kira Muratova. Maybe you would fit between the two?” He added, “For the rest of my life, I will see partly through your eyes. I miss you and I love you.”
“Tom Luddy was a constant presence. The sun around which so many of us have revolved,” said Ken Burns. The two met when Burns screened Huey Long at Telluride in 1985. “For the next 35-plus years,...
The co-founder of the Telluride Film Festival passed away in February.
“I am thinking of getting a tattoo of you on my arm,” said Irish director Mark Cousins at tribute event at the Paris Theatre over the weekend. “Here is Hitchcock on my arm, and here is and Kira Muratova. Maybe you would fit between the two?” He added, “For the rest of my life, I will see partly through your eyes. I miss you and I love you.”
“Tom Luddy was a constant presence. The sun around which so many of us have revolved,” said Ken Burns. The two met when Burns screened Huey Long at Telluride in 1985. “For the next 35-plus years,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2022 Tribeca Festival has named its jury totaling more than five dozen members across 18 categories with Alan Zweibel, Aidan Quinn, Anne Archer, Rose Troche and Oge Egbuonu judging the U.S. Narrative Feature Competition.
Jessica Alba, Darren Aronofsky and Daryl Hannah are among jurors for the 2022 Human/Nature Prize, a new award this year going “to the project that best illuminates the pressing environmental issues of our time.”
The Nora Ephron Award, created to honor the spirit and vision of the legendary filmmaker and writer and presented for the tenth year, will be juried by Pam Grier along with Amandla Stenberg and Lisa Addario.
Rosanna Arquette, Lucy Boynton, Anthony Edwards and Nikki Karimi are the jury for International Narrative Feature.
Also set to select projects in categories including film, audio storytelling and games are Debra Winger, Andre Holland, Niecy Nash, Alex Winter, Lucy Boynton, Nanfu Wang, Sheila Nevins of MTV Documentary Films...
Jessica Alba, Darren Aronofsky and Daryl Hannah are among jurors for the 2022 Human/Nature Prize, a new award this year going “to the project that best illuminates the pressing environmental issues of our time.”
The Nora Ephron Award, created to honor the spirit and vision of the legendary filmmaker and writer and presented for the tenth year, will be juried by Pam Grier along with Amandla Stenberg and Lisa Addario.
Rosanna Arquette, Lucy Boynton, Anthony Edwards and Nikki Karimi are the jury for International Narrative Feature.
Also set to select projects in categories including film, audio storytelling and games are Debra Winger, Andre Holland, Niecy Nash, Alex Winter, Lucy Boynton, Nanfu Wang, Sheila Nevins of MTV Documentary Films...
- 6/2/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Slamdance has awarded its grand prize for screenwriting to writer Joyce Sherrí for her first feature screenplay for coming-of-age drama “Sweet Sixteen.”
The festival announced 13 prizes Thursday during a live-stream ceremony co-presented by Writers Guild of America West and hosted by Slamdance alum Todd Berger across feature film, horror/thriller, TV pilot and short film categories. Slamdance awarded more than $16,000 to winners across all categories.
“Sweet Sixteen” centers on Sweet, a 15-year-old girl who tries to convince her parents to throw her a big sweet 16 birthday party, but money and family problems lead her down a destructive path.
“Black people are not a monolith then neither are our experiences,” said Sherrí. “There is more to us than racial trauma. Sometimes we just want something as simple as a first kiss or a sweet sixteenth birthday party. I wrote ‘Sweet Sixteen’ because I want to share a story that explores a...
The festival announced 13 prizes Thursday during a live-stream ceremony co-presented by Writers Guild of America West and hosted by Slamdance alum Todd Berger across feature film, horror/thriller, TV pilot and short film categories. Slamdance awarded more than $16,000 to winners across all categories.
“Sweet Sixteen” centers on Sweet, a 15-year-old girl who tries to convince her parents to throw her a big sweet 16 birthday party, but money and family problems lead her down a destructive path.
“Black people are not a monolith then neither are our experiences,” said Sherrí. “There is more to us than racial trauma. Sometimes we just want something as simple as a first kiss or a sweet sixteenth birthday party. I wrote ‘Sweet Sixteen’ because I want to share a story that explores a...
- 10/8/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Pleasure to Burn: Capotondi Returns with Entertaining Neo-Noir
Murder really can be turned into art, it seems, in Giuseppe Capotondi’s return to narrative filmmaking with The Burnt Orange Heresy, his first film in a decade since his well-received debut, 2009’s The Double Hour (which at one point was set to be re-made in English by Joshua Marston). Capotondi turns to something a bit more lavishly cosmopolitan in this thriller which explores the intersection of art, commerce, blackmail and dreams deferred with an exceptional international cast. The film closed the 2019 Venice Film Festival and while it’s enigmatic title isn’t likely to drive the masses to the art-house, the film (adapted by Scott B.…...
Murder really can be turned into art, it seems, in Giuseppe Capotondi’s return to narrative filmmaking with The Burnt Orange Heresy, his first film in a decade since his well-received debut, 2009’s The Double Hour (which at one point was set to be re-made in English by Joshua Marston). Capotondi turns to something a bit more lavishly cosmopolitan in this thriller which explores the intersection of art, commerce, blackmail and dreams deferred with an exceptional international cast. The film closed the 2019 Venice Film Festival and while it’s enigmatic title isn’t likely to drive the masses to the art-house, the film (adapted by Scott B.…...
- 3/2/2020
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
In light of recent revelations that Berlinale founding director Alfred Bauer was once an active, high-ranking Nazi, the film festival has suspended his namesake prize, the Alfred Bauer Silver Bear. A report in German newspaper Die Zeit last week detailed Bauer’s ties to Joseph Goebbels, the infamous Reich Minister of Nazi Propaganda who set up Reich Film Office in 1942 to control the moviemaking industry and use it as a pipeline for information from the party. The report details how Bauer appeared to be a key member of this operation in the 1940s, and prior to, had been a member of the Nazis’ pre-war paramilitary arm.
“We welcome the research and its publication in Die Zeit and will seize the opportunity to begin a deeper research on the festival history with the support of external experts,” the festival wrote on Facebook. “The interpretation of these sources suggests that [Bauer] had held...
“We welcome the research and its publication in Die Zeit and will seize the opportunity to begin a deeper research on the festival history with the support of external experts,” the festival wrote on Facebook. “The interpretation of these sources suggests that [Bauer] had held...
- 2/3/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Exclusive: The new heads of the Berlin Film Festival have written to recipients of the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize to express “surprise” over revelations that the festival’s founding director Bauer was seemingly an active Nazi.
In the letter, the festival distances itself from Bauer’s past and says the naming of the prize has no bearing on the meaning behind the award.
“The article makes it very clear that Alfred Bauer was more involved in Nazi politics than was known so far,” the organizer’s say about last week’s Die Zeit story, which prompted the festival to immediately suspend the prestigious accolade.
The letter continues, “We were very much surprised by this news, however we have immediately taken first steps. We are starting historic research in order to evaluate the situation.
“We would like to emphasize the award has been extended to works because of their new...
In the letter, the festival distances itself from Bauer’s past and says the naming of the prize has no bearing on the meaning behind the award.
“The article makes it very clear that Alfred Bauer was more involved in Nazi politics than was known so far,” the organizer’s say about last week’s Die Zeit story, which prompted the festival to immediately suspend the prestigious accolade.
The letter continues, “We were very much surprised by this news, however we have immediately taken first steps. We are starting historic research in order to evaluate the situation.
“We would like to emphasize the award has been extended to works because of their new...
- 2/3/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The Berlin Film Festival has suspended its Alfred Bauer Prize following revelations that the award’s namesake and the Berlinale’s first director was much more closely affiliated with the Nazi Party than previously known.
Bauer, a film historian, was appointed to head the festival in 1951 following its inception by Oscar Martay, a film officer in the U.S. Army who worked in the Information Service Branch of the U.S. High Commissioner for Germany. Bauer oversaw the Berlinale until 1976. The festival introduced the Alfred Bauer Prize in his honor following his death in 1986.
While it was known that Bauer worked for the Nazi government’s Reich Film Office in the 1940s and also advised the British military government on film issues after the end of the war, a new report by German newspaper Die Zeit has uncovered evidence that his association with the Nazis went far deeper.
Working with amateur film researcher Ulrich Hähnel,...
Bauer, a film historian, was appointed to head the festival in 1951 following its inception by Oscar Martay, a film officer in the U.S. Army who worked in the Information Service Branch of the U.S. High Commissioner for Germany. Bauer oversaw the Berlinale until 1976. The festival introduced the Alfred Bauer Prize in his honor following his death in 1986.
While it was known that Bauer worked for the Nazi government’s Reich Film Office in the 1940s and also advised the British military government on film issues after the end of the war, a new report by German newspaper Die Zeit has uncovered evidence that his association with the Nazis went far deeper.
Working with amateur film researcher Ulrich Hähnel,...
- 1/30/2020
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Dead To Me, Russian Doll in running for new series honours.
Writers of The Crown, Succession and Watchmen are among the television nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, unveiled on Thursday (5) by the East and West branches of the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Joining the three projects in the list of drama series nominees are writers of The Handmaid’s Tale and Mindhunter. Nominees in the WGA’s new series category include PEN15, Russian Doll and Watchmen.
In the original long form category, nominees include the writers of Chernobyl and True Detective and the adapted long form category includes Fosse/Verdon and Unbelievable.
Writers of The Crown, Succession and Watchmen are among the television nominees for this year’s Writers Guild Awards, unveiled on Thursday (5) by the East and West branches of the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Joining the three projects in the list of drama series nominees are writers of The Handmaid’s Tale and Mindhunter. Nominees in the WGA’s new series category include PEN15, Russian Doll and Watchmen.
In the original long form category, nominees include the writers of Chernobyl and True Detective and the adapted long form category includes Fosse/Verdon and Unbelievable.
- 12/5/2019
- by 31¦John Hazelton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Slamdance has awarded its grand prize for screenwriting to Tamra Teig and Michael Lipoma for their feature screenplay “The Fall.”
The festival announced a dozen prizes Thursday night during a ceremony hosted by Writers Guild of America West across feature film, horror/thriller, TV pilot and short film categories. Slamdance awarded more than $16,000 to winners across all categories.
“The Fall” is a historical drama set in East Berlin in 1989, where a single mother is forced to become a spy to save her son after he’s framed for murder. Her act of revenge, woven into historic events, leads to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
“With over 4,200 submissions this year, our judges were challenged by a wealth of exciting new writers to choose from,” said Slamdance president Peter Baxter. “Many plugged into the passion and concern around socially conscious themes our world is currently dealing with in raw, fun and unique ways.
The festival announced a dozen prizes Thursday night during a ceremony hosted by Writers Guild of America West across feature film, horror/thriller, TV pilot and short film categories. Slamdance awarded more than $16,000 to winners across all categories.
“The Fall” is a historical drama set in East Berlin in 1989, where a single mother is forced to become a spy to save her son after he’s framed for murder. Her act of revenge, woven into historic events, leads to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
“With over 4,200 submissions this year, our judges were challenged by a wealth of exciting new writers to choose from,” said Slamdance president Peter Baxter. “Many plugged into the passion and concern around socially conscious themes our world is currently dealing with in raw, fun and unique ways.
- 10/11/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
With a recent Netflix pick-up, the distrib will have to figure out if it’ll throw Chiwetel Ejiofor’s directorial debut The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind into the awardage discussion or … allow it to bow earlier than anticipated. Then again, Sundance have welcomed the actor on several occasions — most recently Joshua Marston’s Come Sunday. Teaming with cinematographer Dick Pope, Chiwetel Ejiofor started lensing began in late 2017. Worth noting: the true story was the subject of docu William and the Windmill.
Gist: Adapted from the book written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, Malawi-shot story story follows 13-year-old William Kamkwamba (Maxwell Simba) who is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees.…...
Gist: Adapted from the book written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, Malawi-shot story story follows 13-year-old William Kamkwamba (Maxwell Simba) who is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees.…...
- 11/20/2018
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
It takes time to get a handle on this arresting meditation on the documentary filmmaking process because it throws out feelers in so many directions. Milcho Manchevski’s lively, thought-provoking Bikini Moon edges in and out of the experimental category, peopled by a cynical indie filmmaker, a bleeding heart liberal and an unpredictable bag lady with a hidden treasure waiting back home. The film is smart with a cool New York irony that is easy to get into, but it owes its principal fascination to the enigmatic Condola Rashad, the stage actress seen in Showtime’s Billions and Joshua Marston’...
- 6/27/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It takes time to get a handle on this arresting meditation on the documentary filmmaking process because it throws out feelers in so many directions. Milcho Manchevski’s lively, thought-provoking Bikini Moon edges in and out of the experimental category, peopled by a cynical indie filmmaker, a bleeding heart liberal and an unpredictable bag lady with a hidden treasure waiting back home. The film is smart with a cool New York irony that is easy to get into, but it owes its principal fascination to the enigmatic Condola Rashad, the stage actress seen in Showtime’s Billions and Joshua Marston’...
- 6/27/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Following a Sundance Film Festival debut in January, Netflix unveiled Come Sunday, its true-life religious story of the Rev. Carlton Pearson, over the weekend on its streaming service and in some theaters. I caught it Sunday (naturally), but the low-energy dramatics didn’t grab me, with the exception of the lead performance from the always reliable Chiwetel Ejiofor as Pearson, a media-age preacher caught up in a crisis of conscience.
Based on This American Life’s segment entitled “Heretics” that focused on Pearson and the controversial decision to tell his flock that Hell doesn’t exist, director Joshua Marston (who made an impressive first film in 2004 with Maria Full of Grace but has largely worked in television since) and screenwriter Marcus Hinchey struggle to give the compelling true story of Pearson some much-needed dramatic mojo. A little more life should have been poured into the biopic which, appropriately for Netflix if not Sundance,...
Based on This American Life’s segment entitled “Heretics” that focused on Pearson and the controversial decision to tell his flock that Hell doesn’t exist, director Joshua Marston (who made an impressive first film in 2004 with Maria Full of Grace but has largely worked in television since) and screenwriter Marcus Hinchey struggle to give the compelling true story of Pearson some much-needed dramatic mojo. A little more life should have been poured into the biopic which, appropriately for Netflix if not Sundance,...
- 4/17/2018
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Preaching to the Choir: Marston Tackles Modern Heresy in Orthodox Glance at Evangelical Hypocrisy
There are numerous epithets various strands of Christianity tend to utilize as regular mantras meant to provide evidence of their generous spirits, such as “Love the sinner. Not the sin.” Or perhaps the ever popular, “Judge not less ye be judged.” Often, these are simply superficial throwaways, mere lip-service of progressive attitudes which immediately fall to the way side when their beliefs are challenged or threatened. Such is the display of fair-weathered faith in Joshua Marston’s fourth feature film, Come Sunday, which relates the true trials…...
There are numerous epithets various strands of Christianity tend to utilize as regular mantras meant to provide evidence of their generous spirits, such as “Love the sinner. Not the sin.” Or perhaps the ever popular, “Judge not less ye be judged.” Often, these are simply superficial throwaways, mere lip-service of progressive attitudes which immediately fall to the way side when their beliefs are challenged or threatened. Such is the display of fair-weathered faith in Joshua Marston’s fourth feature film, Come Sunday, which relates the true trials…...
- 4/13/2018
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Borg vs. McEnroe (Janus Metz)
Juan Martin del Potro just ruined the match-up everyone wanted to see at the 2017 Us Open—a semi-final pitting Rafa Nadal against Roger Federer. Despite both being in their thirties, their rivalry has never stopped. What’s intriguing, however, is how amiable it has always been (or seemed to be). With the quieter Pete Sampras and emotional Andre Agassi a generation earlier, the same...
Borg vs. McEnroe (Janus Metz)
Juan Martin del Potro just ruined the match-up everyone wanted to see at the 2017 Us Open—a semi-final pitting Rafa Nadal against Roger Federer. Despite both being in their thirties, their rivalry has never stopped. What’s intriguing, however, is how amiable it has always been (or seemed to be). With the quieter Pete Sampras and emotional Andre Agassi a generation earlier, the same...
- 4/13/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Matthew 4:16: “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” That Bible passage was written about Jesus Christ’s return from Galilee after the arrest of John the Baptist, but it could just as easily have preordained the glory of Jesus Christ’s return to movie screens after the pre-Easter rash of faith-based faff like “I Can Only Imagine” and “God’s Not Dead: Light in Darkness.”
Now that the lord hath risen, the quality of movies about him is set to rise as well. While Paul Schrader’s transcendent “First Reformed” is still waiting in the wings, “Maria Full of Grace” director Joshua Marston’s safe but stirring “Come Sunday” is a big step back towards grace, and a necessary reminder that spiritual crises are always more engaging for the questions...
Now that the lord hath risen, the quality of movies about him is set to rise as well. While Paul Schrader’s transcendent “First Reformed” is still waiting in the wings, “Maria Full of Grace” director Joshua Marston’s safe but stirring “Come Sunday” is a big step back towards grace, and a necessary reminder that spiritual crises are always more engaging for the questions...
- 4/12/2018
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Preacher Carlton Pearson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) wrestles with the pull of organized religion and divine belief in Netflix’s superb new film “Come Sunday.” Equal parts religious meditation and institutional indictment, Joshua Marston continues his streak of exceptional films, beginning with 2004’s “Maria Full of Grace” and, more recently, “Complete Unknown.” Buoyed by exceptional performances by Ejiofor, Jason Segel, and notably, Lakeith Stanfield, “Come Sunday” is a film that should not be missed.
- 4/9/2018
- by Christian Gallichio
- The Playlist
Maria Full of Grace and The Forgiveness of Blood director Joshua Marston returned to Sundance this year with his new drama Come Sunday. Led by Chiwetel Ejiofor as Bishop Carlton Pearson, it tells the true story of how most of his congregation turned their backs on him after he shied away from biblical rhetoric and got to the heart of Jesus’ message. Produced by Ira Glass, ahead of a Netflix release, the first trailer has now arrived.
Dan Schindel said in his Sundance review. “It’s rare that mainstream filmmakers attempt to take seriously matters of faith – a subject personal to a majority of people but which movies have historically handled clumsily. This perhaps exposes the gap in the competencies between the greats and the merely good, Ok, or less. It takes a true understanding of an art form to use it to express the ineffable, spiritual aspects of human experience.
Dan Schindel said in his Sundance review. “It’s rare that mainstream filmmakers attempt to take seriously matters of faith – a subject personal to a majority of people but which movies have historically handled clumsily. This perhaps exposes the gap in the competencies between the greats and the merely good, Ok, or less. It takes a true understanding of an art form to use it to express the ineffable, spiritual aspects of human experience.
- 3/26/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Netflix isn’t slowing down in its ambitious production of original feature films. “Come Sunday,” its latest about a Bishop-turned-religious-pariah played by Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, will hit the streaming platform April 13. The drama, directed by Joshua Marston, will also star Martin Sheen, Condola Rashad, Lakeith Stanfield, and Jason Segel. Watch the full-length trailer below. Don't miss Backstage's film audition listings!
- 3/23/2018
- backstage.com
After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, a trailer has been revealed by Netflix for the biopic, Come Sunday. Telling the story of a pastor who questioned the existence of hell, Carlton Pearson played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Inspired by This American Life, a radio program hosted by Ira Glass. The 2005 episode “Heretics” examines Pearson’s work as an evangelical pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and how he “cast aside the idea of hell.
Also in trailers – Drac is in the mood for love in new trailer for Hotel Transylvania 3
Directed by Joshua Marston (Complete Unknown, Maria Full of Grace), the film stars Ejiofor alongside Martin Sheen, rising star Lakeith Stanfield (Get Out, Atlanta), and stage actress Condola Rashād, the daughter of former NFL star Ahmad Rashad.
Related: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tahar Rahim on playing Jesus Christ’s apostles Peter and Judas in Mary Magdalene
The feature is...
Inspired by This American Life, a radio program hosted by Ira Glass. The 2005 episode “Heretics” examines Pearson’s work as an evangelical pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and how he “cast aside the idea of hell.
Also in trailers – Drac is in the mood for love in new trailer for Hotel Transylvania 3
Directed by Joshua Marston (Complete Unknown, Maria Full of Grace), the film stars Ejiofor alongside Martin Sheen, rising star Lakeith Stanfield (Get Out, Atlanta), and stage actress Condola Rashād, the daughter of former NFL star Ahmad Rashad.
Related: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tahar Rahim on playing Jesus Christ’s apostles Peter and Judas in Mary Magdalene
The feature is...
- 3/22/2018
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The upcoming Netflix film Come Sunday will begin streaming on April 13, 2018 and we are pleased to share the trailer for your viewing pleasure. The film follows internationally-renowned pastor Carlton Pearson — experiencing a crisis of faith — who risks his church, family and future when he questions church doctrine and finds himself branded a modern-day heretic. Even though Come Sunday is based on actual events, the film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to mixed critical reception.
Come Sunday is directed by Joshua Marston and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen, Jason Segel, Condola Rashad, Lakeith Stanfield and Danny Glover. The film was written by Marcus Hinchey and produced by Ira Glass, Julie Goldstein, Alissa Shipp and James D. Stern. Here’s the trailer, along with the official synopsis and some images for the film below:
From director Joshua Marston, Come Sunday stars Academy Award-nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lakeith Stanfield, Jason Segel,...
Come Sunday is directed by Joshua Marston and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen, Jason Segel, Condola Rashad, Lakeith Stanfield and Danny Glover. The film was written by Marcus Hinchey and produced by Ira Glass, Julie Goldstein, Alissa Shipp and James D. Stern. Here’s the trailer, along with the official synopsis and some images for the film below:
From director Joshua Marston, Come Sunday stars Academy Award-nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lakeith Stanfield, Jason Segel,...
- 3/22/2018
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
"You need to consider everything you're putting at risk, and not just for yourself." Netflix has released the first official trailer for a film titled Come Sunday, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Bishop Carlton Pearson, an evangelical megastar, brilliant orator, and television host with millions of followers. He suddenly has an epiphany one day and realizes: God loves all humankind; everyone is already saved, whether Christian or not; and there is no hell. But preaching this gets him into all kinds of trouble. The cast includes Danny Glover, Condola Rashad, Jason Segel, Lakeith Stanfield, and Martin Sheen. These kinds of religious dramas aren't really my jam, even with Ejiofor in the lead role, but I have to admit - damn does this trailer look good. Watch below. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Joshua Marston's Come Sunday, direct from YouTube: Internationally-renowned pastor,...
- 3/21/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Despite being an Oscar-nominated lead actor thanks to “12 Years A Slave,” Chiwetel Ejiofor still doesn’t get enough opportunities to lead movies. Let Netflix’s upcoming drama “Come Sunday” be another powerful reminder why that needs to change.
The film, directed by “Maria Full of Grace” and “Complete Unknown” filmmaker Joshua Marston, casts Ejiofor in the true story of the conflicted Bishop Carlton Pearson. Members of Pearson’s church conspired to have him removed for heresy after he started preaching that Hell doesn’t exist. The drama co-stars Jason Segel, Danny Glover, Martin Sheen, and Lakeith Stanfield.
“Come Sunday” will debut on Netflix April 13. Watch the official trailer below.
The film, directed by “Maria Full of Grace” and “Complete Unknown” filmmaker Joshua Marston, casts Ejiofor in the true story of the conflicted Bishop Carlton Pearson. Members of Pearson’s church conspired to have him removed for heresy after he started preaching that Hell doesn’t exist. The drama co-stars Jason Segel, Danny Glover, Martin Sheen, and Lakeith Stanfield.
“Come Sunday” will debut on Netflix April 13. Watch the official trailer below.
- 3/21/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
It’s rare that mainstream filmmakers attempt to take seriously matters of faith – a subject personal to a majority of people but which movies have historically handled clumsily. This perhaps exposes the gap in the competencies between the greats and the merely good, Ok, or less. It takes a true understanding of an art form to use it to express the ineffable, spiritual aspects of human experience. The ways of doing so do not exist in the conventional toolkit. Come Sunday makes an admirable effort to delve into religious conviction and changes in faith, but comes up feeling too normal and disconnected from those matters.
The film dramatizes the true story of Carlton Pearson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a celebrated Church of God in Christ bishop who at the height of his power in the ‘90s preached to a congregation of over 6,000 and reached millions more through television broadcasts and revival tours.
The film dramatizes the true story of Carlton Pearson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a celebrated Church of God in Christ bishop who at the height of his power in the ‘90s preached to a congregation of over 6,000 and reached millions more through television broadcasts and revival tours.
- 1/23/2018
- by Daniel Schindel
- The Film Stage
Before the Sundance Film festival premiere of Come Sunday, helmer Joshua Marston, along with stars Condola Rashad and Jason Segel, stopped by Deadline’s Sundance Studio speak tackling the true story of the charismatic Bishop Carlton Pearson, who dared to defy the traditional ideology of Christianity. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as the renowned Oklahoma evangelical minister who stirs up controversy with his revelation that there is no Hell. “What struck me first was…...
- 1/22/2018
- Deadline
Fourteen years after wowing Sundance with his feature debut, Maria Full of Grace, director Joshua Marston returns with arguably his most powerful work since that harrowing drug and migration drama. Developed from a story broadcast on Ira Glass' long-running public radio show This American Life about the crisis of faith that shook renowned Pentecostal bishop Carlton Pearson in the late 1990s, Come Sunday is a mesmerizing contemplation of the clash between rigid dogma and considered reinterpretation. The fact that it comes down on the side of mind-opening inclusion makes it an especially timely discussion in the current national climate.
This...
This...
- 1/22/2018
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in the true-life tale of a renowned pastor in the midst of a crisis of faith in Come Sunday, the new film from Sundance Film Festival alum Joshua Marston that is having its world premiere tonight at the Eccles in the fest’s Premieres section. The Netflix drama bows on the streaming service April 13. Based on the This American Life story “Heretics,” Ejiofor is Carlton Pearson, an evangelical star whose mentor is Oral Roberts (Martin Sheen) and who…...
- 1/21/2018
- Deadline
The Sundance Institute announced the initial slate for the 2018 Sundance Film Festival today and it was chock full of familiar faces to Park City (Kristen Stewart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Nick Offerman, Tessa Tompson, Jason Mitchell) and some highly acclaimed filmmakers (Debra Granik, Gus Van Sant, Joshua Marston). The festival announced a majority of its world premieres, but we’ve heard there will be a second round of premieres coming in December, but for now the U.S.
Continue reading 15 Most Anticipated New Films From The 2018 Sundance Film Festival at The Playlist.
Continue reading 15 Most Anticipated New Films From The 2018 Sundance Film Festival at The Playlist.
- 11/30/2017
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
The fall is often perceived as the launch pad for awards season, as numerous prestige films compete for attention in the final weeks of the year. For much of the film community, however, it’s also the first major window into movies worth talking about next year. That’s because the Sundance Film Festival lineup typically drops in the middle of November, shaking up the holiday season with a mixture of familiar faces and newcomers who could make an impact in Park City this January. With programmers working in overdrive to complete the lineup in the coming weeks, and filmmakers praying to break through as the deadlines loom, we’ve cobbled together as much intel as we can for this extensive preview featuring dozens of promising titles that stand a good chance at making their way to Sundance this year. As usual, we’ve tried to avoid projects that are...
- 11/20/2017
- by Eric Kohn, Jude Dry, Chris O'Falt, Kate Erbland, Jenna Marotta, David Ehrlich and Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
You time is valuable, and so are both services for different reasons.War Machine (Netflix)
Although there may be a competition going on between Amazon and Netflix for subscribers, the truth is that both company’s streaming services are essential for anyone who watches a lot of movies and TV and who wants to be part of the pop culture conversations as they happen.
There’s no denying that Amazon Prime is worth the $99/year, which not only gives you access to many movies but also a good amount of music streaming and digital media access, plus faster shipping for when you actually want some sort of physical product (you can also just get video content for $8.99/month, which oddly means paying more for less).
And Netflix is still a must-have for both its exclusive and nonexclusive content, though depending on one’s usage could be best for sporadic membership rather than continued subscription — now at $120/year...
Although there may be a competition going on between Amazon and Netflix for subscribers, the truth is that both company’s streaming services are essential for anyone who watches a lot of movies and TV and who wants to be part of the pop culture conversations as they happen.
There’s no denying that Amazon Prime is worth the $99/year, which not only gives you access to many movies but also a good amount of music streaming and digital media access, plus faster shipping for when you actually want some sort of physical product (you can also just get video content for $8.99/month, which oddly means paying more for less).
And Netflix is still a must-have for both its exclusive and nonexclusive content, though depending on one’s usage could be best for sporadic membership rather than continued subscription — now at $120/year...
- 4/4/2017
- by Christopher Campbell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Author: Daniel Goodwin
From its bleak but stunning opening shot of an ominous evening sky, Australian director Steven Kastrissios builds an immediate, prevalent sense of foreboding for his second feature, Bloodlands. Kastrissios’ first film in nearly ten years (since 2008’s The Horseman) charts the tale of a penurious Albanian blood feud between a lowly local family and a coterie of cannibals, witches and ghosts.
For a film which so accurately depicts such raw, rundown communities, the paranormal elements meld surprisingly well with the realism, even when accentuated to be predominantly weird and gothic. Slabs of floating meat, cloaked, mystical figures and delirious nightmare scenes make Bloodlands resound like a lunatic’s fever dream instead of a slice of social commentary about Albanian culture and society. The subject of Balkan blood feuds have previously been tackled in fictional cinema in Joshua Marston’s The Forgiveness of Blood, among other more conventional Albanian features,...
From its bleak but stunning opening shot of an ominous evening sky, Australian director Steven Kastrissios builds an immediate, prevalent sense of foreboding for his second feature, Bloodlands. Kastrissios’ first film in nearly ten years (since 2008’s The Horseman) charts the tale of a penurious Albanian blood feud between a lowly local family and a coterie of cannibals, witches and ghosts.
For a film which so accurately depicts such raw, rundown communities, the paranormal elements meld surprisingly well with the realism, even when accentuated to be predominantly weird and gothic. Slabs of floating meat, cloaked, mystical figures and delirious nightmare scenes make Bloodlands resound like a lunatic’s fever dream instead of a slice of social commentary about Albanian culture and society. The subject of Balkan blood feuds have previously been tackled in fictional cinema in Joshua Marston’s The Forgiveness of Blood, among other more conventional Albanian features,...
- 3/3/2017
- by Daniel Goodwin
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Robert De Niro in ‘The Godfather: Part II’ (Courtesy: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
The first few days of Donald Trump’s presidency have been filled with a slew of sweeping policy changes that have garnered plenty of criticism — but the recent changes to America’s immigration policy have topped headlines. With an executive order that has been considered a Muslim ban by many, let’s take a look at some great films about immigration to the United States. There are plenty of them, but here is just a sampling of 16 that you should definitely watch.
A Better Life (2011): This film was directed by Chris Weitz and is a drama about a gardener in East L.A. who struggles to keep his son away from both gangs and immigration agents all while trying to give him opportunities he never had. A Better Life — written by...
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
The first few days of Donald Trump’s presidency have been filled with a slew of sweeping policy changes that have garnered plenty of criticism — but the recent changes to America’s immigration policy have topped headlines. With an executive order that has been considered a Muslim ban by many, let’s take a look at some great films about immigration to the United States. There are plenty of them, but here is just a sampling of 16 that you should definitely watch.
A Better Life (2011): This film was directed by Chris Weitz and is a drama about a gardener in East L.A. who struggles to keep his son away from both gangs and immigration agents all while trying to give him opportunities he never had. A Better Life — written by...
- 2/1/2017
- by Carson Blackwelder
- Scott Feinberg
Stacey Sargeant has been cast in the Netflix original film Come Sunday, joining Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen, Keith Stanfield and Condola Rashad. Based on a 2005 The American Life radio episode, the film adaptation is directed by Joshua Marston with a script by Marcus Hinchey. It is true story of a renowned evangelical minister Carlton Pearson (Ejiofor), who stirs up controversy with his revelation that there is no hell. Sargeant plays Nicky Brown, a working single…...
- 1/23/2017
- Deadline
Sundance 2016 will always be remembered for the record-breaking $17.5 million sale of Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” to Fox Searchlight, on the heels of the #oscarsowhite backlash — and for the massive marketing fallout that followed in light of Parker’s rape-trial acquittal. With a domestic gross under $16 million, it led to one of the bigger failures among Sundance sales relative to expense.
Netflix outbid Searchlight for “The Birth of a Nation,” but the producers favored the theatrical route (including that company’s proven awards expertise and commercial success) and accepted less money. One wonders if it had been a high-profile Netflix film if the post-Sundance controversy about Nate Parker’s college days would have had the same impact or effect. It will be curious to see if any producer this year is as quick to turn down a high offer from Netflix or similar non-theatrical buyer.
Those memories could temper bidding wars,...
Netflix outbid Searchlight for “The Birth of a Nation,” but the producers favored the theatrical route (including that company’s proven awards expertise and commercial success) and accepted less money. One wonders if it had been a high-profile Netflix film if the post-Sundance controversy about Nate Parker’s college days would have had the same impact or effect. It will be curious to see if any producer this year is as quick to turn down a high offer from Netflix or similar non-theatrical buyer.
Those memories could temper bidding wars,...
- 1/18/2017
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Martin Sheen is taking on the role of famed Pentecostal televangelist Oral Roberts in Come Sunday, the film based on a true story which stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as a renowned evangelical minister in Tulsa, Ok who stirs up controversy with his revelation that there is no hell. The film is being directed by Joshua Marston from a script by Marcus Hinchey. The movie is based on a 2005 This American Life radio episode. The film also co-stars Broadway’s Condola Rashad…...
- 1/5/2017
- Deadline
Exclusive: Condola Rashad has joined the cast of Netflix’s Come Sunday, the film that stars Chiwetel Ejiofor in the true story of a renowned evangelical minister in Tulsa, Ok, who stirs up controversy with his revelation that there is no hell. Joshua Marston is directing the pic, which was penned by Marcus Hinchey based on a 2005 This American Life radio episode. Endgame Entertainment’s James. D Stern is producing alongside This American Life‘s Ira Glass and Alissa…...
- 12/7/2016
- Deadline
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Complete Unknown (Joshua Marston)
Armed with two top-notch leads and a compelling premise, Joshua Marston‘s third feature, Complete Unknown, spends a lot of time hinting at which direction it will go, without going anywhere at all. Tom (Michael Shannon) is living with his wife Rehema (Azita Ghanizada) in New York City, spending the majority of his days drafting agricultural policy emails in a cramped government office. It is...
Complete Unknown (Joshua Marston)
Armed with two top-notch leads and a compelling premise, Joshua Marston‘s third feature, Complete Unknown, spends a lot of time hinting at which direction it will go, without going anywhere at all. Tom (Michael Shannon) is living with his wife Rehema (Azita Ghanizada) in New York City, spending the majority of his days drafting agricultural policy emails in a cramped government office. It is...
- 10/28/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Complete Unknown (Joshua Marston)
Armed with two top-notch leads and a compelling premise, Joshua Marston‘s third feature, Complete Unknown, spends a lot of time hinting at which direction it will go, without going anywhere at all. Tom (Michael Shannon) is living with his wife Rehema (Azita Ghanizada) in New York City, spending the majority of his days drafting agricultural policy emails in a cramped government office. It is...
Complete Unknown (Joshua Marston)
Armed with two top-notch leads and a compelling premise, Joshua Marston‘s third feature, Complete Unknown, spends a lot of time hinting at which direction it will go, without going anywhere at all. Tom (Michael Shannon) is living with his wife Rehema (Azita Ghanizada) in New York City, spending the majority of his days drafting agricultural policy emails in a cramped government office. It is...
- 9/30/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Danny Glover has joined the cast of Come Sunday – the upcoming Netflix film that tells the true story of evangelical minister Carlton Pearson, who built one of the largest churches in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and then lost everything as a result of his evolving faith. The tale was explored in a 2005 episode of This American Life, and it is this work that Come Sunday will largely use as source material.
Carlton Pearson became a renowned evangelical minister in Tulsa, having been mentored by televangelist Oral Roberts. At the height of its success, during the 1990s, the church that Pearson formed had a congregation estimated at over 6000 people. That congregation began to dwindle, however, when Pearson changed his teachings – asserting that hell did not exist in the traditionally taught sense.
Pearson publicly declared that, rather than being an eternity of pain and suffering, he believed that hell is created during our lifetimes,...
Carlton Pearson became a renowned evangelical minister in Tulsa, having been mentored by televangelist Oral Roberts. At the height of its success, during the 1990s, the church that Pearson formed had a congregation estimated at over 6000 people. That congregation began to dwindle, however, when Pearson changed his teachings – asserting that hell did not exist in the traditionally taught sense.
Pearson publicly declared that, rather than being an eternity of pain and suffering, he believed that hell is created during our lifetimes,...
- 9/29/2016
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
Rachel Weisz and Michael Shannon are dependable actors, but the script for the tedious identity drama Complete Unknown gives them flat characters stuck in underdeveloped situations. We’re introduced to Alice (Rachel Weisz), in an opening prologue montage that features her over time in several endeavors – a nurse, a magician’s assistant, and in bed telling a paramour that she’s been a teacher for many years. The rest of the story takes place in one night. Now a frog researcher fresh from a trip to Tasmania, Alice catches the eye of Clyde (Michael Chernus) in a Brooklyn office cafeteria. He immediately invites her a birthday party at the home of his co-worker Tom (Shannon) and his wife Ramina (Azita Ghanizada), a jewelry designer. There’s a dozen or so guests at the party, all entertained by the outlandish Alice, who brags of her accomplishments and confesses that years ago...
- 9/9/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Labor Day weekend has never been the home for prime specialized releases, but it is a spot where well-positioned films going broader can thrive. That was the case for “Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate), which gained momentum and looks to be a dominant film for weeks ahead — perhaps even into the awards season. Don’t be surprised if it outgrosses many of the highly touted premieres at Telluride and Toronto.
However, the weekend was unkind to veteran comedy creators; both Kevin Smith’s “Yoga Hosers” (Invincible) and “Max Rose” (Paladin) starring Jerry Lewis received mostly negative reviews and little interest in their initial regular theatrical dates.
Opening
“No Manches Frida” (Lionsgate)
$3,650,000 in 362 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $10,083; Cumulative: $3,650,000
Lionsgate’s most recent release of a Spanish-language film from production partner Pantelion looks to be their best opener yet. A typical Mexican comedy involving a complicated scheme to recover stolen loot,...
However, the weekend was unkind to veteran comedy creators; both Kevin Smith’s “Yoga Hosers” (Invincible) and “Max Rose” (Paladin) starring Jerry Lewis received mostly negative reviews and little interest in their initial regular theatrical dates.
Opening
“No Manches Frida” (Lionsgate)
$3,650,000 in 362 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $10,083; Cumulative: $3,650,000
Lionsgate’s most recent release of a Spanish-language film from production partner Pantelion looks to be their best opener yet. A typical Mexican comedy involving a complicated scheme to recover stolen loot,...
- 9/4/2016
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Just like that, it’s fall already. The first round of films fresh out of Tiff and Venice and Telluride are making their ways to theaters and living rooms nationwide. And now, we enter the last third of the year, with plenty of titles to be excited about. Below, you’ll see every planned theatrical release for the month of September, separated out into films with wide runs and limited ones. (Synopses are provided by festivals and distributors.)
Each week, we’ll give you an update with more specific information on where these films are playing. In the meantime, be sure to check our calendar page, where we’ll update releases for the rest of the year. Happy watching!
Week of September 2 Wide
Morgan
Director: Luke Scott
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Boyd Holbrook, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kate Mara, Michelle Yeoh, Paul Giamatti, Rose Leslie, Toby Jones
Synopsis: A corporate troubleshooter is sent to a remote,...
Each week, we’ll give you an update with more specific information on where these films are playing. In the meantime, be sure to check our calendar page, where we’ll update releases for the rest of the year. Happy watching!
Week of September 2 Wide
Morgan
Director: Luke Scott
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Boyd Holbrook, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kate Mara, Michelle Yeoh, Paul Giamatti, Rose Leslie, Toby Jones
Synopsis: A corporate troubleshooter is sent to a remote,...
- 9/1/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Despite being one of the best films of the last several years, James Gray’s “The Immigrant” received only a modest theatrical release nearly a full 12 months after its premiere at Cannes in 2013. His follow-up might not have to wait so long: Amazon Studios has just acquired “The Lost City of Z,” says the Hollywood Reporter; the allure of releasing a movie set in the actual Amazon must have been too powerful.
Read More: New York Film Festival Announces James Gray’s ‘The Lost City of Z’ As Closing Night Selection
Charlie Hunnam leads the adaptation of David Grann’s best-selling novel, playing a British explorer who went missing in the Brazilian rainforest while searching for, well, a lost city in 1925. Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller appear as well, while Brad Pitt’s Plan B produced the film. Amazon’s recent releases include Joshua Marston’s “Complete Unknown,...
Read More: New York Film Festival Announces James Gray’s ‘The Lost City of Z’ As Closing Night Selection
Charlie Hunnam leads the adaptation of David Grann’s best-selling novel, playing a British explorer who went missing in the Brazilian rainforest while searching for, well, a lost city in 1925. Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller appear as well, while Brad Pitt’s Plan B produced the film. Amazon’s recent releases include Joshua Marston’s “Complete Unknown,...
- 9/1/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
This weekend brings a rare event as three very different specialty films face off nationally on between 800-900 theaters. Debuting “Southside With You” (Roadside Attractions) and “Hands of Stone” (Weinstein) go up against “Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate) in its third week.
The winner is “Hell or High Water,” which after this weekend’s success could wind up the year’s highest-grossing specialized release. “Southside With You” also scored high numbers, with “Hands of Stone” not up to its level.
Five Sundance releases are among this week’s new films, ranging from relatively wide opener “Southside” to Video on Demand entry “The Intervention.” As the Toronto Film Festival looms, the Park City event, despite offering half as many films, remains the biggest festival for acquisition titles.
Opening
“Southside With You” (Roadside Attractions) – Metacritic: 75; Festivals include: Sundance, San Francisco, Seattle 2016
$3,065,000 in 813 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $3,762
A strong initial result...
The winner is “Hell or High Water,” which after this weekend’s success could wind up the year’s highest-grossing specialized release. “Southside With You” also scored high numbers, with “Hands of Stone” not up to its level.
Five Sundance releases are among this week’s new films, ranging from relatively wide opener “Southside” to Video on Demand entry “The Intervention.” As the Toronto Film Festival looms, the Park City event, despite offering half as many films, remains the biggest festival for acquisition titles.
Opening
“Southside With You” (Roadside Attractions) – Metacritic: 75; Festivals include: Sundance, San Francisco, Seattle 2016
$3,065,000 in 813 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $3,762
A strong initial result...
- 8/28/2016
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Most fictional stories — even ones about everyday life — start with a fantasy. In director Joshua Marston’s moody new drama “Complete Unknown,” the big “what if” is simple but strong. What if a person just walked away from her old life and started over somewhere else, with a new identity? Then what if she […]
The post ‘Complete Unknown’ With Rachel Weisz & Michael Shannon Beguiles, But Doesn’t Satisfy [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
The post ‘Complete Unknown’ With Rachel Weisz & Michael Shannon Beguiles, But Doesn’t Satisfy [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
- 8/27/2016
- by Noel Murray
- The Playlist
Opening in select theaters today, August 26, We Got This Covered has an exclusive clip for Joshua Marston’s (The Forgiveness of Blood, Maria Full of Grace) Complete Unknown that features Rachel Weisz battling against something of an identity crisis.
Having assumed a host of identities throughout her life, Weisz’s Alice (Jenny?) revels in anonymity, and likely has enough passports and identity documents to put even Jason Bourne to shame. But this picture, one haling from Amazon Studios and IFC Films, looks set to be a much more intimate affair than Universal’s tentpole actioner, delving into the remarkable relationship between Tom (Michael Shannon) and Weisz’s estranged lead.
At least, once Shannon’s baffled character pushes past the formalities to find out who Alice really is – a quest that may well force Tom into, ahem, the Complete Unknown. Kathy Bates, Danny Glover, Michael Chernus and Azita Ghanizada round out the ensemble.
Having assumed a host of identities throughout her life, Weisz’s Alice (Jenny?) revels in anonymity, and likely has enough passports and identity documents to put even Jason Bourne to shame. But this picture, one haling from Amazon Studios and IFC Films, looks set to be a much more intimate affair than Universal’s tentpole actioner, delving into the remarkable relationship between Tom (Michael Shannon) and Weisz’s estranged lead.
At least, once Shannon’s baffled character pushes past the formalities to find out who Alice really is – a quest that may well force Tom into, ahem, the Complete Unknown. Kathy Bates, Danny Glover, Michael Chernus and Azita Ghanizada round out the ensemble.
- 8/26/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
“We are what we pretend to be so we must be careful what we pretend to be.” That lucite pearl of wisdom, which appears in the introduction of Kurt Vonnegut’s 1961 novel “Mother Night” and then reverberates beneath the rest of its pages, is as much of a warning as it is an invitation. Many of the great filmmakers have dedicated their lives to sifting through the truth of Vonnegut’s words — or at least that of the principle expressed therein — using that sentiment as a starting point from which to dive into the bottomless void of the human psyche.
“Maria Full of Grace” director Joshua Marston, who has struggled to live up to the promise of that stirringly urgent debut, is not one of the great filmmakers. Identity is a construct, relationships are a performance and love is a fiction that only endures for as long as two people...
“Maria Full of Grace” director Joshua Marston, who has struggled to live up to the promise of that stirringly urgent debut, is not one of the great filmmakers. Identity is a construct, relationships are a performance and love is a fiction that only endures for as long as two people...
- 8/22/2016
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
One would assume that Joshua Marston’s Complete Unknown might elicit feelings of invigorated freedom – Assume, I repeat. At some point in our lives, we’ve all dreamt about starting over. Hitting the “Eject” button amidst our daily routine, and trying out a different lifestyle that could have been. This is the crux of Marston’s story (co-written by Julian Sheppard), but whatever message is trying to be conveyed (Being happy with one life? Not being afraid to start over somewhere else?) desperately gets lost in translation. Like, Sylvester Stallone trying to communicate with a Japanese businessman. Movies are supposed to make you feel something, but unfortunately, my screening ended with a sense of frustration, confusion and zero sympathetic charms – a deadly trifecta for any indie drama.
Michael Shannon stars as Tom, who’s about to spend the night celebrating his birthday with a group of close friends. They all gather at Tom’s apartment,...
Michael Shannon stars as Tom, who’s about to spend the night celebrating his birthday with a group of close friends. They all gather at Tom’s apartment,...
- 8/22/2016
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
People walk in and out of your life all the time, and it’s not clear what they do after they leave. Are they the same person? Did they become just like you? Did they drop off the face of the map? Or did they in fact leave their old life behind and become someone else entirely? Joshua Marston’s new romantic identity drama “Complete Unknown” centers around a woman (Rachel Weisz) who constantly leaves her identity behind and reinvents herself, and soon tries to bring an ex-lover (Michael Shannon) into her spontaneous life. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: Sundance Review: Joshua Marston’s ‘Complete Unknown’ Starring Rachel Weisz And Michael Shannon
The film is written and directed by Joshua Marston. He’s best known for writing and directing the films “Maria Full of Grace” and “The Forgiveness of Blood,” as well as directing episodes of “Six Feet Under,...
Read More: Sundance Review: Joshua Marston’s ‘Complete Unknown’ Starring Rachel Weisz And Michael Shannon
The film is written and directed by Joshua Marston. He’s best known for writing and directing the films “Maria Full of Grace” and “The Forgiveness of Blood,” as well as directing episodes of “Six Feet Under,...
- 8/16/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Sometimes don't you just wish you could hit reset on your life? Walk away from everything, take on a new name, a new identity and start a brand new life? What would happen if your new life came into close proximity to your old life? That's the conceit at the centre of Joshua Marston's Complete Unknown.
Michael Shannon stars as Tom, a guy celebrating his birthday with some friends one of whom happens to bring along Alice (Rachel Weisz). What Tom's gathered friends don't realize is that 15 years before, Tom and Alice were a couple – until Alice walked away with no explanation. Now she re-appears with a new look, a new name and pretending not to recognize him. Considering the size of the city, I assume their "chance" encounter isn't completely accidental.
I [Continued ...]...
Michael Shannon stars as Tom, a guy celebrating his birthday with some friends one of whom happens to bring along Alice (Rachel Weisz). What Tom's gathered friends don't realize is that 15 years before, Tom and Alice were a couple – until Alice walked away with no explanation. Now she re-appears with a new look, a new name and pretending not to recognize him. Considering the size of the city, I assume their "chance" encounter isn't completely accidental.
I [Continued ...]...
- 8/11/2016
- QuietEarth.us
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