Today should be a national holiday. No, not because it's Leap Day or anything, which we all know is nothing more than an arbitrary construct in our fruitless attempts to put labels on the chaos of time and space. Instead, we ought to have the day off because Focus Features decided to bless us with another trailer for "The Bikeriders" that puts yet another oddball performance from Tom Hardy at the very front and center of the action. I mean, when you begin with an off-screen Hardy in an outrageously Chicagoan accent talking about how he wants to start a riding club instead of the actual star of the show, Austin Butler, that says it all, don't it?
Granted, the movie is about much more than Hardy's character starting a fun new hobby with his friends. Mike Shutt reviewed "The Bikeriders" for /Film out of the Austin Film Festival in...
Granted, the movie is about much more than Hardy's character starting a fun new hobby with his friends. Mike Shutt reviewed "The Bikeriders" for /Film out of the Austin Film Festival in...
- 2/29/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders has been selected as the closing night film for the 2023 edition of the Chicago International Film Festival.
The Bikeriders is a fictional story that follows the members of a ’60s midwestern motorcycle club. Inspired by Danny Lyon’s iconic book of photography, the cast includes Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, along with Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus and Michael Shannon, who is also appearing at this year’s festival with his directorial debut Eric Larue.
Writer-director Nichols will also be the recipient of an Artistic Achievement Award as part of the festival’s 59th year celebration.
“From his feature debut Shotgun Stories, which had its U.S. premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival in 2007, to his stunning follow-ups Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, Loving, and his latest achievement The Bikeriders, Jeff Nichols’ work is remarkable for the stunning performances he elicits from...
The Bikeriders is a fictional story that follows the members of a ’60s midwestern motorcycle club. Inspired by Danny Lyon’s iconic book of photography, the cast includes Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, along with Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus and Michael Shannon, who is also appearing at this year’s festival with his directorial debut Eric Larue.
Writer-director Nichols will also be the recipient of an Artistic Achievement Award as part of the festival’s 59th year celebration.
“From his feature debut Shotgun Stories, which had its U.S. premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival in 2007, to his stunning follow-ups Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, Loving, and his latest achievement The Bikeriders, Jeff Nichols’ work is remarkable for the stunning performances he elicits from...
- 9/13/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jeff Nichols, who had previously made the apocalyptic drama “Take Shelter,” the Mark Twain-y “Mud,” and the bold, John Carpenter-indebted “Midnight Special” along with the Oscar-nominated period drama “Loving,” says his new film “The Bikeriders” is unlike anything else he’s previously made. While the earlier movies were about emotion, this new film is built around, as he says, a “feeling.”
“For me, emotions are like this very specific personal emotional reaction to a thing, and this is different than that,” Nichols explained to TheWrap. And he’ll soon be taking that feeling home, as he premieres “The Bikeriders” on his home turf.
Fresh off of its rapturously received debut at the Telluride Film Festival (and ahead of its Dec. 1 release date), filmmaker Jeff Nichols will be bringing his brand-new film “The Bikeriders” to his home state of Arkansas. The Arkansas Cinema Society and the Arkansas Museum of...
“For me, emotions are like this very specific personal emotional reaction to a thing, and this is different than that,” Nichols explained to TheWrap. And he’ll soon be taking that feeling home, as he premieres “The Bikeriders” on his home turf.
Fresh off of its rapturously received debut at the Telluride Film Festival (and ahead of its Dec. 1 release date), filmmaker Jeff Nichols will be bringing his brand-new film “The Bikeriders” to his home state of Arkansas. The Arkansas Cinema Society and the Arkansas Museum of...
- 9/11/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
It's either a rite of passage ... or a war of attrition, depending on how you look at it. If you're an acclaimed filmmaker who has typically made original movies at a mid-sized budget with adult audiences in mind -- in other words, exactly the type of movie that has been largely done away with and completely subsumed by the superhero blockbuster craze -- then you're inevitably going to be asked about making one of those superhero blockbusters. But every so often, those talented artists actually are interested enough to put some serious thought into their own personal pitch and, in this case, Jeff Nichols might as well have sent those Warner Bros. executives running for the hills.
As we recently saw with the trailer debut for "The Bikeriders," the marketing for Nichols' next buzzy project has finally begun in earnest and that means we're set for the director of well-received movies like "Shotgun Stories,...
As we recently saw with the trailer debut for "The Bikeriders," the marketing for Nichols' next buzzy project has finally begun in earnest and that means we're set for the director of well-received movies like "Shotgun Stories,...
- 9/7/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
It sure feels like it's tougher and tougher to get everyone on the same page these days, but there still remains a few hard-earned truths left in this cynical old world. For one thing, Jeff Nichols is one of the most interesting filmmakers around after directing features such as "Shotgun Stories," "Take Shelter," "Mud," "Midnight Special," and more. Secondly, movie lovers simply can't get enough of actors as charismatic as Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, Austin Butler, and Mike Faist. Finally, and most importantly, if you put Tom Hardy in your movie, he's going to find a way to do an outrageously silly accent that you may or may not have to strain your ears to understand.
Put all that together and you come close to discovering the appeal of "The Bikeriders," the upcoming drama about (what else?) members of a motorcycle club that soon transforms into a violent gang. Nichols...
Put all that together and you come close to discovering the appeal of "The Bikeriders," the upcoming drama about (what else?) members of a motorcycle club that soon transforms into a violent gang. Nichols...
- 9/6/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Don’t let the word “bike” fool you. In Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders,” the wheels in question are choppers — good, all-American motorcycles, built from the ground up by tough guys in leather jackets — and the “club” they’re a part of is really more of a gang. Nichols hails from the Heartland and has a better handle on the life and attitudes one finds in so-called flyover country than nearly all the directors working at his level. You’ve probably seen a few of his films, most of which take place down dirt roads in rural areas. Movies like “Shotgun Stories,” “Loving” and “Mud.”
With “The Bikeriders,” Nichols brings us into the big city — or the outskirts, at least — and then zeroes in on a social microcosm all of us recognize, but few have penetrated: a Chicago-area motorcycle club that calls itself the Vandals. The Vandals don’t really exist,...
With “The Bikeriders,” Nichols brings us into the big city — or the outskirts, at least — and then zeroes in on a social microcosm all of us recognize, but few have penetrated: a Chicago-area motorcycle club that calls itself the Vandals. The Vandals don’t really exist,...
- 9/2/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Walt Disney Pictures announced Friday that Jeff Nichols’ latest film, “The Bikeriders,” will debut in theaters in December under the 20th Century banner.
The film was previously announced as a period drama set in the 1960s and is inspired by Danny Lyon’s photography from his 1967 book from which the film derives its name. It follows the rise of a fictional, Midwestern motorcycle club. The club evolves over the course of a decade from a gathering place for local outsiders into a more sinister gang, threatening the original group’s unique way of life.
The film stars a bevy of A-list talent including Tom Hardy, Nichols alum Michael Shannon, Jodi Comer, Austin Butler, Norman Reedus and Body Holbrook.
Nichols is writing and directing the feature after a seven-year hiatus. His last feature was the Joel Edgerton/Ruth Negga-starring drama “Loving” in 2016. Nichols is also the director of “Midnight Special,...
The film was previously announced as a period drama set in the 1960s and is inspired by Danny Lyon’s photography from his 1967 book from which the film derives its name. It follows the rise of a fictional, Midwestern motorcycle club. The club evolves over the course of a decade from a gathering place for local outsiders into a more sinister gang, threatening the original group’s unique way of life.
The film stars a bevy of A-list talent including Tom Hardy, Nichols alum Michael Shannon, Jodi Comer, Austin Butler, Norman Reedus and Body Holbrook.
Nichols is writing and directing the feature after a seven-year hiatus. His last feature was the Joel Edgerton/Ruth Negga-starring drama “Loving” in 2016. Nichols is also the director of “Midnight Special,...
- 7/28/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
An ensemble of gifted actors effectively play against type in Michael Shannon’s quietly powerful directing debut, none more so than Judy Greer, outwardly numbed by sorrow but raw inside as a mother whose son shot and killed three high school classmates. While the subject matter inevitably invites comparison with Mass, that well-received 2021 chamber piece — also a first feature by an actor, Fran Kranz — kept its focus tight on two sets of parents on either side of a similar tragedy. Eric Larue casts a wider gaze, taking in the broader community and the religious leaders fumbling or manipulating the conversation about healing.
Shannon’s deep roots in Chicago theater are evident in his choice of material and his success at assembling a first-rate cast — uncommonly strong across the board for a modestly scaled indie like this.
The script was adapted by Brett Neveu from his play of the same name,...
Shannon’s deep roots in Chicago theater are evident in his choice of material and his success at assembling a first-rate cast — uncommonly strong across the board for a modestly scaled indie like this.
The script was adapted by Brett Neveu from his play of the same name,...
- 6/11/2023
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
15 years after his critically-acclaimed directing debut on 2007's "Shotgun Stories," Jeff Nichols has established himself as a specialist when it comes to crafting tense, original thrillers, be they of the dramatic ("Mud") or sci-fi variety ("Midnight Special"), if not a little bit of both ("Take Shelter"). That's why it was both intriguing and a tad disappointing when, back in late 2020, it was reported that Nichols would be trying his hand at a franchise movie for the first time by directing Paramount's "A Quiet Place" spinoff film, now titled "A Quiet Place: Day One."
Lo and behold, however, Nichols has since stepped...
The post The Bikeriders: Everything We Know About Jeff Nichols' New Movie Starring Tom Hardy appeared first on /Film.
Lo and behold, however, Nichols has since stepped...
The post The Bikeriders: Everything We Know About Jeff Nichols' New Movie Starring Tom Hardy appeared first on /Film.
- 8/4/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy are set to star in the next film from “Midnight Special” and “Loving” director Jeff Nichols in a project called “The Bikeriders” set up at New Regency, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Nichols will both write and direct the original film that is a period drama set in the 1960s and is inspired by the photography of Danny Lyon from his 1967 book also titled “The Bikeriders.”
Production will begin on the film in Cincinnati, Ohio, this October.
Also Read:
‘Elvis’ Director Baz Luhrmann on His Leading Man’s Transformation: ‘The Austin Butler That Was in Disney Shows Doesn’t Exist Anymore’
Though inspired by a group of motorcyclists photographed throughout Chicago, Nichols’ “The Bikeriders” is an original story inspired by the book and follows the rise of a fictional, midwestern motorcycle club. Seen through the lives of its members,...
Nichols will both write and direct the original film that is a period drama set in the 1960s and is inspired by the photography of Danny Lyon from his 1967 book also titled “The Bikeriders.”
Production will begin on the film in Cincinnati, Ohio, this October.
Also Read:
‘Elvis’ Director Baz Luhrmann on His Leading Man’s Transformation: ‘The Austin Butler That Was in Disney Shows Doesn’t Exist Anymore’
Though inspired by a group of motorcyclists photographed throughout Chicago, Nichols’ “The Bikeriders” is an original story inspired by the book and follows the rise of a fictional, midwestern motorcycle club. Seen through the lives of its members,...
- 8/4/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Katherine Hughes (Echo 3) and Josh Plasse (iCarly) have signed on to star alongside Frank Grillo and Jaime King in the horror-thriller Man’s Son, which Remy Grillo is directing for XYZ Films.
The story surrounds a young couple (Hughes and Plasse) hoping to create an aesthetically pleasing audition tape for an up-and-coming Charles Manson film. But when they choose an eclectic desert Airbnb as the perfect backdrop, the dark events of the audition material slowly slip into their reality… Eventually, they find themselves intertwined in an occult, sinister plot led by King and Grillo’s characters.
Plasse and Brev Moss wrote the script, which is inspired by modern occult activity in the California Desrt. King’s Hooligan Dreamers Productions is producing in partnership with Dare Angel, Mi Nene and Margate House Films. Plasse, Shakira Barrera, Conor Allyn, Johnny James Fiore, Benjamin Anderson, Jake Allyn, Fabio Lo Fria, King and Emma Comley are producing,...
The story surrounds a young couple (Hughes and Plasse) hoping to create an aesthetically pleasing audition tape for an up-and-coming Charles Manson film. But when they choose an eclectic desert Airbnb as the perfect backdrop, the dark events of the audition material slowly slip into their reality… Eventually, they find themselves intertwined in an occult, sinister plot led by King and Grillo’s characters.
Plasse and Brev Moss wrote the script, which is inspired by modern occult activity in the California Desrt. King’s Hooligan Dreamers Productions is producing in partnership with Dare Angel, Mi Nene and Margate House Films. Plasse, Shakira Barrera, Conor Allyn, Johnny James Fiore, Benjamin Anderson, Jake Allyn, Fabio Lo Fria, King and Emma Comley are producing,...
- 4/6/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Emma Roberts, John Gallagher Jr. and two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon will topline Spencer Squire’s first feature, Abandoned, which is also the first to be fully financed through the partnership between Vertical Entertainment and Three Point Capital.
The recently wrapped thriller written by Squire, Jessica Scott, and Erik Patterson follows a mother, father, and infant son as they move into a remote farmhouse, which harbors a dark, tragic history. As their home’s past is revealed, the mother’s fragility escalates to a state of psychosis that jeopardizes her own safety and that of her newborn son.
Roberts is producing with Robert Ogden Barnum, Eric Binns, and Byron Wetzel, with Neal Dodson, Andrew Gans, David Gendron, Neil Gobioff, Rich Goldberg, Peter Jarowey, Ali Jazayeri, Shawn Paonessa, Oliver Ridge, Zachary Quinto, Viviana Zarragoitia, Michael Reiser, Delos Chang,...
The recently wrapped thriller written by Squire, Jessica Scott, and Erik Patterson follows a mother, father, and infant son as they move into a remote farmhouse, which harbors a dark, tragic history. As their home’s past is revealed, the mother’s fragility escalates to a state of psychosis that jeopardizes her own safety and that of her newborn son.
Roberts is producing with Robert Ogden Barnum, Eric Binns, and Byron Wetzel, with Neal Dodson, Andrew Gans, David Gendron, Neil Gobioff, Rich Goldberg, Peter Jarowey, Ali Jazayeri, Shawn Paonessa, Oliver Ridge, Zachary Quinto, Viviana Zarragoitia, Michael Reiser, Delos Chang,...
- 10/26/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Originally planned to shoot in early 2020, before Covid-19 lockdowns made that an impossibility, director Thomas Torrey’s “All the Names We Buried” is pitching in the Proof of Concept section of the Frontieres Platform at the Cannes Marché du Film, looking to reignite the project’s pre-covid buzz and recuperate lost financing. In a move likely to aid those goals, Torrey has shared with Variety that “First Cow” lead John Magaro, one of indie cinema’s hottest actors going today, will star in the film.
Set to join Marago in the film’s other lead roles are “Winter’s Bone” standout Dale Dickey and Caity Brewer, who most recently impressed with her work in Amazon’s “Uncle Frank.” Promising young “Promising Young Woman” actor Ray Nicholson (Prime Video’s “Panic”) is in talks to fill out the film’s other key role.
Like so many filmmakers raring to go last spring,...
Set to join Marago in the film’s other lead roles are “Winter’s Bone” standout Dale Dickey and Caity Brewer, who most recently impressed with her work in Amazon’s “Uncle Frank.” Promising young “Promising Young Woman” actor Ray Nicholson (Prime Video’s “Panic”) is in talks to fill out the film’s other key role.
Like so many filmmakers raring to go last spring,...
- 7/8/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
After making his debut in 2007 with the impressive drama Shotgun Stories, Jeff Nichols went on a tear in the first half of the following decade with Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, and Loving. While it’s been a few years since we’ve heard from the Arkansas-born director, he’s now finally returning with his sixth feature.
Variety reports he’ll be reteaming with his Midnight Special star Adam Driver for Yankee Comandante. Based on a 2012 New Yorker article by David Grann (author of the source material for James Gray’s The Lost City of Z and Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming Killers of the Flower Moon), the story follows the two people who rose to the rank of comandante during the Cuban Revolution, one being Che Guevara and the other William Alexander Morgan, a man from Ohio, who Driver will presumably play.
“Morgan helped Fidel Castro and the Cuban rebels overthrow Fulgencio Batista,...
Variety reports he’ll be reteaming with his Midnight Special star Adam Driver for Yankee Comandante. Based on a 2012 New Yorker article by David Grann (author of the source material for James Gray’s The Lost City of Z and Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming Killers of the Flower Moon), the story follows the two people who rose to the rank of comandante during the Cuban Revolution, one being Che Guevara and the other William Alexander Morgan, a man from Ohio, who Driver will presumably play.
“Morgan helped Fidel Castro and the Cuban rebels overthrow Fulgencio Batista,...
- 4/30/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
While the SXSW Film Festival is kicking off in Austin this week, the Tribeca Film Festival will continue to shine a spotlight on upcoming genre films in April and May, including Joe Begos' Bliss, Ant Timpson's Come to Daddy (starring Elijah Wood and Stephen McHattie), and Something Else (directed by Jeremy Gardner and Christian Stella).
From the Press Release: "New York – March 5, 2019 – The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by At&T, today unveiled its feature film lineup. Continuing its tradition of elevating exceptional storytelling rooted in today’s global film communities, the 18th annual Festival will showcase debut works from emerging talent and new works from notable filmmakers. The program includes discoveries, comedies, music-centered, political and social films. The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 24 - May 5.
The feature program includes 103 films from 124 filmmakers. The films selected in the three competition sections consist of 50% women directed films. The lineup includes 81 World Premieres,...
From the Press Release: "New York – March 5, 2019 – The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by At&T, today unveiled its feature film lineup. Continuing its tradition of elevating exceptional storytelling rooted in today’s global film communities, the 18th annual Festival will showcase debut works from emerging talent and new works from notable filmmakers. The program includes discoveries, comedies, music-centered, political and social films. The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 24 - May 5.
The feature program includes 103 films from 124 filmmakers. The films selected in the three competition sections consist of 50% women directed films. The lineup includes 81 World Premieres,...
- 3/8/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Nick Robinson, Michael Shannon, Britt Robertson, and Alex Pettyfer are starring in the burglary drama “Echo Boomers.”
Based on a true story, the film centers around a group of disillusioned twentysomethings, who break into and steal from the homes of the rich.
Seth Savoy will be making his directorial debut on the movie and helm from his own script. Byron Wetzel, Sean Kaplan, Mike Ware, Jeff Waxman, and James Langer are attached to produce.
Fortitude International holds the foreign rights and is launching sales this week at the American Film Market. CAA Media Finance will represent the domestic rights. Production is scheduled to begin in January.
Robinson, who starred in “Love, Simon” and “Everything, Everything,” will next be seen in the thriller “Strange but True.” Shannon starred in “The Shape of Water,” and received Academy Award nominations for his roles in “Revolutionary Road” and “Nocturnal Animals.” He’s toplined all...
Based on a true story, the film centers around a group of disillusioned twentysomethings, who break into and steal from the homes of the rich.
Seth Savoy will be making his directorial debut on the movie and helm from his own script. Byron Wetzel, Sean Kaplan, Mike Ware, Jeff Waxman, and James Langer are attached to produce.
Fortitude International holds the foreign rights and is launching sales this week at the American Film Market. CAA Media Finance will represent the domestic rights. Production is scheduled to begin in January.
Robinson, who starred in “Love, Simon” and “Everything, Everything,” will next be seen in the thriller “Strange but True.” Shannon starred in “The Shape of Water,” and received Academy Award nominations for his roles in “Revolutionary Road” and “Nocturnal Animals.” He’s toplined all...
- 11/2/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Michael Shannon and director Jeff Nichols teamed up again for a short film project called Long Way Back Home. The film tells the story of a man named Stanton, who is searching for his two younger brothers in the backroads of Memphis. As you'll see, things get complicated when he finds them.
The short was made as a way to promote the release of the album "Among the Ghosts" from the band Lucero, which features Jeff's brother Ben Nichols on vocals and guitar. It's always good to see Shannon and Nichols work together. They've previously collaborated together on Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, and Loving. This short film turned out great.
The short also stars Scoot Mcnairy, Paul Sparks, and Ben Nichols. You can enjoy the short below and after you watch it, tell us what you think!
Via: The Film Stage ...
The short was made as a way to promote the release of the album "Among the Ghosts" from the band Lucero, which features Jeff's brother Ben Nichols on vocals and guitar. It's always good to see Shannon and Nichols work together. They've previously collaborated together on Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, and Loving. This short film turned out great.
The short also stars Scoot Mcnairy, Paul Sparks, and Ben Nichols. You can enjoy the short below and after you watch it, tell us what you think!
Via: The Film Stage ...
- 8/27/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Writer/director Jeff Nichols has spent his career making movies about families, from 2007’s feud-driven drama Shotgun Stories all the way up to 2016’s powerful biopic Loving. Now he’s back with a new short film called Long Way Back Home, a mystery that stars frequent collaborator Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water), who has appeared in every one […]
The post ‘Long Way Back Home’ Short Film Reteams Michael Shannon with Director Jeff Nichols appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Long Way Back Home’ Short Film Reteams Michael Shannon with Director Jeff Nichols appeared first on /Film.
- 8/24/2018
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
"You're not the only one lookin' for them." More work from Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon? Yes, please. Long Way Back Home is a new short film written and directed by filmmaker Jeff Nichols. The short was made to promote the release of the album "Among the Ghosts" from the band Lucero, which includes Jeff's brother Ben Nichols on vocals and guitar. It's sort of a music video, but not really. Michael Shannon stars in this, along with Garrett Hedlund, Scoot Mcnairy, Paul Sparks, and Ben Nichols. Shannon and Nichols have worked together on all five of his films previously: Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, and Loving. Glad to see them continue to work together, always a thrill. Give this a watch. Thanks to The Film Stage for the tip on this. "The film tells the story of Stanton, portrayed by Shannon, as he searches the streets and...
- 8/24/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Michael Shannon Looms Large in Stirring Western-Style Short From ‘Mud’ Director Jeff Nichols — Watch
Jeff Nichols has written and directed a hybrid short film/music video for the band Lucero, and it’s a Western starring Michael Shannon doing what he does best. It is the first music video from the writer/director best known for “Mud” and “Loving,” and the filmmaker’s sixth collaboration with Shannon, who has starred in all of the director’s features. The collaboration is special for other reasons, as Nichols’ brother is Lucero’s lead singer and guitarist.
Titled after the Lucero song, “Long Way Back Home,” the film stars Shannon as Stanton, a man searching for his two younger brothers, played by Garrett Hedlund (“Mudbound”) and Scoot McNairy (“Halt an Catch Fire”). The film opens auspiciously with a scene between Shannon and Paul Sparks (“House of Cards”); as Stanton wonders how to find his brothers, Sparks asks if he wants to kill them. “Why would I want to kill my little brothers?...
Titled after the Lucero song, “Long Way Back Home,” the film stars Shannon as Stanton, a man searching for his two younger brothers, played by Garrett Hedlund (“Mudbound”) and Scoot McNairy (“Halt an Catch Fire”). The film opens auspiciously with a scene between Shannon and Paul Sparks (“House of Cards”); as Stanton wonders how to find his brothers, Sparks asks if he wants to kill them. “Why would I want to kill my little brothers?...
- 8/21/2018
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
In recent years Michael Shannon has begun to emerge as one of film’s most versatile and ubiquitous actors. Often cast his villains or law enforcement agents Shannon always brings a brooding intensity to his roles and manages to use that intensity for both good characters and bad that often know a lot more than they are saying.
Shannon first started his career as a stage actor in Chicago. He gained a great deal of notice and other roles from his appearances in the plays of a then little-known actor turned playwright named Tracy Letts. Shannon credits his work in the plays of Letts for the film and television opportunities that came his way after he appeared in two of Lett’s acclaimed plays “Bug” and “Killer Joe.”
He returned to the stage two years ago and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for...
Shannon first started his career as a stage actor in Chicago. He gained a great deal of notice and other roles from his appearances in the plays of a then little-known actor turned playwright named Tracy Letts. Shannon credits his work in the plays of Letts for the film and television opportunities that came his way after he appeared in two of Lett’s acclaimed plays “Bug” and “Killer Joe.”
He returned to the stage two years ago and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for...
- 6/2/2018
- by Robert Pius and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Terrence Malick is one of the most influential filmmakers alive, with everyone from Christopher Nolan and David Gordon Green to John Hillcoat and Andrew Dominik citing him as an inspiration. To show the extent to which the “Badlands,” “The Thin Red Line,” and “The Tree of Life” director has left his mark on a generation of directors, Vimeo user Jacob T. Swinney made a video called “Not Directed by Terrence Malick” made up of shots from other filmmakers whose work bears a distinct resemblance to Malick’s. Watch below.
Read More:Terrence Malick-Produced ‘Awaken’ Trailer: Awe-Inspiring Doc Follows Humans’ Relationship With Technology — Watch
Borrowing the music that graced the trailer for “To the Wonder,” the strikingly made video cuts between Malickian footage from a range of films: “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” “George Washington,” even “Man of Steel” (whose first teaser had a heavy Malick influence that was sorely lacking from...
Read More:Terrence Malick-Produced ‘Awaken’ Trailer: Awe-Inspiring Doc Follows Humans’ Relationship With Technology — Watch
Borrowing the music that graced the trailer for “To the Wonder,” the strikingly made video cuts between Malickian footage from a range of films: “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” “George Washington,” even “Man of Steel” (whose first teaser had a heavy Malick influence that was sorely lacking from...
- 12/31/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
(Sigh) I’m starting to get annoyed by Jeff Nichols. I guess that opinion has been bubbling up in me over the years, but I don’t think I would’ve said something to that effect outright, for one reason or another until now, because, well, really he’s too talented to ignore, but now I feel like I’m just hitting a wall with him and this, latest combination of southern gothic meets sci-fi he’s put out, eh, it’s putting me off. “Midnight Special” Makes me wonder if these genres even belong together really.
Oh course, maybe it’s possible that I’ve just misread him over the years. I tend to consider him as a more melodramatic and introspective David Gordon Green-type director. His first film, ‘Shotgun Stories‘ had that kind of tone, and was a decent movie about rival half-brothers set in the backwoods of Arkansas,...
Oh course, maybe it’s possible that I’ve just misread him over the years. I tend to consider him as a more melodramatic and introspective David Gordon Green-type director. His first film, ‘Shotgun Stories‘ had that kind of tone, and was a decent movie about rival half-brothers set in the backwoods of Arkansas,...
- 12/20/2017
- by David Baruffi
- Age of the Nerd
August is finally over, the summer movie season is in the rear-view mirror, and we’re entering that magical time of year when the studios actually care about the quality of the films they put out into the world. Netflix, always eager to provide the public with a good reason to stay home, is responding to the sudden uptick in must-see Hollywood fare by busting out the big guns and releasing an absolutely killer line-up of modern classics (click here for the complete list).
From the defining indie of the 21st century to the greatest romance of the 21st, these are the seven best films that are coming to Netflix in September.
Read More:7 New Netflix Shows to Binge in September 2017, and The Best Episodes of Each 7. “Vincent N Roxxy” (2016)
Unfolding like a Nicholas Winding Refn-directed remake of “Shotgun Stories,” Gary Michael Schultz’s “Vincent N Roxxy” is a nasty...
From the defining indie of the 21st century to the greatest romance of the 21st, these are the seven best films that are coming to Netflix in September.
Read More:7 New Netflix Shows to Binge in September 2017, and The Best Episodes of Each 7. “Vincent N Roxxy” (2016)
Unfolding like a Nicholas Winding Refn-directed remake of “Shotgun Stories,” Gary Michael Schultz’s “Vincent N Roxxy” is a nasty...
- 9/1/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Inspired by Richard Linklater’s work for the last 32 years with the Austin Film Society, writer-director Jeff Nichols (“Loving,” “Midnight Special”) is launching a similar nonprofit cinephile organization, the Arkansas Cinema Society (Acs), with an inaugural event (August 24-26) called “Premiere.”
Director David Lowery (“A Ghost Story,” “Pete’s Dragon”) and actor Adam Driver (“Girls,” “Paterson,” “The Force Awakens”) will travel to Little Rock and screen their films followed by Q&As with Nichols at the Ron Robinson Theater in the Little Rock River Market.
“Premiere” will kick off on Thursday, August 24 with a screening of the Sundance rap musical hit “Patti Cake$,” followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and Nichols. On Friday, August 25, Acs will host an afternoon showing of Jim Jarmusch’s 2016 Cannes drama “Paterson,” starring Driver as an aspiring poet and bus driver. Friday evening, Acs will screen “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” in which Driver Plays villain Kylo Ren.
Director David Lowery (“A Ghost Story,” “Pete’s Dragon”) and actor Adam Driver (“Girls,” “Paterson,” “The Force Awakens”) will travel to Little Rock and screen their films followed by Q&As with Nichols at the Ron Robinson Theater in the Little Rock River Market.
“Premiere” will kick off on Thursday, August 24 with a screening of the Sundance rap musical hit “Patti Cake$,” followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and Nichols. On Friday, August 25, Acs will host an afternoon showing of Jim Jarmusch’s 2016 Cannes drama “Paterson,” starring Driver as an aspiring poet and bus driver. Friday evening, Acs will screen “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” in which Driver Plays villain Kylo Ren.
- 8/3/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Inspired by Richard Linklater’s work for the last 32 years with the Austin Film Society, writer-director Jeff Nichols (“Loving,” “Midnight Special”) is launching a similar nonprofit cinephile organization, the Arkansas Cinema Society (Acs), with an inaugural event (August 24-26) called “Premiere.”
Director David Lowery (“A Ghost Story,” “Pete’s Dragon”) and actor Adam Driver (“Girls,” “Paterson,” “The Force Awakens”) will travel to Little Rock and screen their films followed by Q&As with Nichols at the Ron Robinson Theater in the Little Rock River Market.
“Premiere” will kick off on Thursday, August 24 with a screening of the Sundance rap musical hit “Patti Cake$,” followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and Nichols. On Friday, August 25, Acs will host an afternoon showing of Jim Jarmusch’s 2016 Cannes drama “Paterson,” starring Driver as an aspiring poet and bus driver. Friday evening, Acs will screen “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” in which Driver Plays villain Kylo Ren. Both films will be followed by a conversation between Nichols and Driver.
Read More‘Loving’ Director Jeff Nichols Launches Arkansas Cinema Society, With a Festival in 2018 — Exclusive
On Saturday, August 26, writer and director David Lowery will close out the event with a screening of his 2016 Disney remake of the 1970s musical “Pete’s Dragon,” as well as his latest drama, Sundance breakout “A Ghost Story,” starring Casey Affleck as a ghost haunting the home of his widow, followed by conversations with Nichols.
The Acs is looking to renovate a theater in Little Rock; longer term, Nichols wants to send programs to enlightened theaters around the state and create a grant program to help upgrade needy cinemas. “It’s a shame ‘Moonlight’ can’t be seen in southeast Arkansas, which has a massive African-American population,” said Nichols. “Come on! Let’s get these films to the further reaches of the state.”
Nichols is also impressed with Afs’s Texas filmmaker production fund, which gives rising filmmakers grants that help them cover costs while taking their films to festivals. He vividly recalls being put up in fancy hotels while taking “Shotgun Stories” and “Take Shelter” at festivals where he couldn’t afford to buy a meal.
Nichols recently taught a course with Matthew McConaughey on “Mud” at the University of Texas, and was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame last March. Next up: he’s writing his first studio movie from scratch, “Alien Nation.”
McKibbon Hospitality, which manages five hotels in Arkansas, is presenting sponsor of “Premiere.”
Sign UpStay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Related storiesDavid Lowery Set to Direct TV Show About a Sex Occultist Who Helped Invent Rocket Science'A Ghost Story': David Lowery Explains the Pie Scene -- and Says It's Ok if People Can't Stomach It'A Ghost Story': How Shane Carruth Helped David Lowery Break Free of His Rigid Sense of Time...
Director David Lowery (“A Ghost Story,” “Pete’s Dragon”) and actor Adam Driver (“Girls,” “Paterson,” “The Force Awakens”) will travel to Little Rock and screen their films followed by Q&As with Nichols at the Ron Robinson Theater in the Little Rock River Market.
“Premiere” will kick off on Thursday, August 24 with a screening of the Sundance rap musical hit “Patti Cake$,” followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and Nichols. On Friday, August 25, Acs will host an afternoon showing of Jim Jarmusch’s 2016 Cannes drama “Paterson,” starring Driver as an aspiring poet and bus driver. Friday evening, Acs will screen “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” in which Driver Plays villain Kylo Ren. Both films will be followed by a conversation between Nichols and Driver.
Read More‘Loving’ Director Jeff Nichols Launches Arkansas Cinema Society, With a Festival in 2018 — Exclusive
On Saturday, August 26, writer and director David Lowery will close out the event with a screening of his 2016 Disney remake of the 1970s musical “Pete’s Dragon,” as well as his latest drama, Sundance breakout “A Ghost Story,” starring Casey Affleck as a ghost haunting the home of his widow, followed by conversations with Nichols.
The Acs is looking to renovate a theater in Little Rock; longer term, Nichols wants to send programs to enlightened theaters around the state and create a grant program to help upgrade needy cinemas. “It’s a shame ‘Moonlight’ can’t be seen in southeast Arkansas, which has a massive African-American population,” said Nichols. “Come on! Let’s get these films to the further reaches of the state.”
Nichols is also impressed with Afs’s Texas filmmaker production fund, which gives rising filmmakers grants that help them cover costs while taking their films to festivals. He vividly recalls being put up in fancy hotels while taking “Shotgun Stories” and “Take Shelter” at festivals where he couldn’t afford to buy a meal.
Nichols recently taught a course with Matthew McConaughey on “Mud” at the University of Texas, and was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame last March. Next up: he’s writing his first studio movie from scratch, “Alien Nation.”
McKibbon Hospitality, which manages five hotels in Arkansas, is presenting sponsor of “Premiere.”
Sign UpStay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Related storiesDavid Lowery Set to Direct TV Show About a Sex Occultist Who Helped Invent Rocket Science'A Ghost Story': David Lowery Explains the Pie Scene -- and Says It's Ok if People Can't Stomach It'A Ghost Story': How Shane Carruth Helped David Lowery Break Free of His Rigid Sense of Time...
- 8/3/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
‘Loving’ Director Jeff Nichols Launches Arkansas Cinema Society, With a Festival in 2018 — Exclusive
Inspired by Richard Linklater’s work for the last 32 years with the Austin Film Society, writer-director Jeff Nichols (“Loving,” “Midnight Special”) wants to build a cinephile organization in Arkansas that is just as impressive.
“Little Rock and Arkansas don’t have anything like that,” he said. “One of my biggest hurdles as a kid in Arkansas was I just didn’t have any connection points with the global film industry.”
Eventually, Nichols found people in his life who helped him to see that “real people do make movies and it’s possible.” Now having achieved some success, he seeks to “create a cinema society that gets people together to watch movies and filmmakers they may not know about, to not only bring films but filmmakers to Arkansas, to have conversations people can see in front of them in a way that’s immediate and tangible.”
Read More: 2017 Independent Spirit Awards: The Best Things Jeff Nichols,...
“Little Rock and Arkansas don’t have anything like that,” he said. “One of my biggest hurdles as a kid in Arkansas was I just didn’t have any connection points with the global film industry.”
Eventually, Nichols found people in his life who helped him to see that “real people do make movies and it’s possible.” Now having achieved some success, he seeks to “create a cinema society that gets people together to watch movies and filmmakers they may not know about, to not only bring films but filmmakers to Arkansas, to have conversations people can see in front of them in a way that’s immediate and tangible.”
Read More: 2017 Independent Spirit Awards: The Best Things Jeff Nichols,...
- 3/22/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
‘Loving’ Director Jeff Nichols Launches Arkansas Cinema Society, With a Festival in 2018 — Exclusive
Inspired by Richard Linklater’s work for the last 32 years with the Austin Film Society, writer-director Jeff Nichols (“Loving,” “Midnight Special”) wants to build a cinephile organization in Arkansas that is just as impressive.
“Little Rock and Arkansas don’t have anything like that,” he said. “One of my biggest hurdles as a kid in Arkansas was I just didn’t have any connection points with the global film industry.”
Eventually, Nichols found people in his life who helped him to see that “real people do make movies and it’s possible.” Now having achieved some success, he seeks to “create a cinema society that gets people together to watch movies and filmmakers they may not know about, to not only bring films but filmmakers to Arkansas, to have conversations people can see in front of them in a way that’s immediate and tangible.”
Read More: 2017 Independent Spirit Awards: The Best Things Jeff Nichols,...
“Little Rock and Arkansas don’t have anything like that,” he said. “One of my biggest hurdles as a kid in Arkansas was I just didn’t have any connection points with the global film industry.”
Eventually, Nichols found people in his life who helped him to see that “real people do make movies and it’s possible.” Now having achieved some success, he seeks to “create a cinema society that gets people together to watch movies and filmmakers they may not know about, to not only bring films but filmmakers to Arkansas, to have conversations people can see in front of them in a way that’s immediate and tangible.”
Read More: 2017 Independent Spirit Awards: The Best Things Jeff Nichols,...
- 3/22/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Director Jeff Nichols released two films this past year. The first was “Midnight Special,” about a father and son who go on the run from the government and a cult drawn to the boy’s special powers. The second was “Loving,” a historical drama about interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving and the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia which struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriage.
Read More: Jeff Nichols on the Quiet Strength of the ‘Loving’ Family: Awards Spotlight
The film received positive reviews since its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and soon the Aclu will host a special screening of the film this January. Watch an exclusive featurette below featuring Jeff Nichols, Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga and other cast members discuss bringing this true story to life.
Nichols has previously directed three other features: “Shotgun Stories,” about a feud between two sets of...
Read More: Jeff Nichols on the Quiet Strength of the ‘Loving’ Family: Awards Spotlight
The film received positive reviews since its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and soon the Aclu will host a special screening of the film this January. Watch an exclusive featurette below featuring Jeff Nichols, Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga and other cast members discuss bringing this true story to life.
Nichols has previously directed three other features: “Shotgun Stories,” about a feud between two sets of...
- 1/3/2017
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Even if his throwback sci-fi tale “Midnight Special” were his only 2016 output, Jeff Nichols would have had quite a year. But the filmmaker behind “Mud,” “Take Shelter” and “Shotgun Stories” may have found his best story yet in the life and love of Richard and Mildred Loving.
“Loving,” Nichols’ second of two 2016 films, soars as a beautiful portrait of a resilient family primarily because of its patience. Jettisoning the standard biopic checklist, Nichols instead took great care following the quiet moments along Richard and Mildred’s journey from their meeting all the way through their role in the landmark Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case that struck down existing interracial marriage bans nationwide. The drama of their lives hangs in these individual scenes in a way that few films profiling historical figures manage to achieve.
Over a decade of making films, Nichols has quietly built up an impressive roster of...
“Loving,” Nichols’ second of two 2016 films, soars as a beautiful portrait of a resilient family primarily because of its patience. Jettisoning the standard biopic checklist, Nichols instead took great care following the quiet moments along Richard and Mildred’s journey from their meeting all the way through their role in the landmark Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case that struck down existing interracial marriage bans nationwide. The drama of their lives hangs in these individual scenes in a way that few films profiling historical figures manage to achieve.
Over a decade of making films, Nichols has quietly built up an impressive roster of...
- 12/29/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
The Tribeca Film Festival has hired producer and distribution executive Jeff Deutchman as its Programmer at Large, a new position. Deutchman will remain in Los Angeles, serving on the programming team led by Director of Programming Cara Cusumano, and will report to Tribeca Enterprises Executive Vice President Paula Weinstein, who oversees the festival. His first day in the position was November 17.
Deutchman was most recently Svp of acquisitions and productions at the now-defunct Alchemy, a position he left in March shortly before the company declared bankruptcy. He was previously Director of Acquisitions at Paramount Home Media, prior to which he worked in acquisitions for New York’s IFC Films for more than seven years.
Read More: How Film Festivals Decide Which Movies to Accept
“I love Los Angeles and I’m still enjoying my time here, so the combination of that and the fact that Tribeca saw it as an...
Deutchman was most recently Svp of acquisitions and productions at the now-defunct Alchemy, a position he left in March shortly before the company declared bankruptcy. He was previously Director of Acquisitions at Paramount Home Media, prior to which he worked in acquisitions for New York’s IFC Films for more than seven years.
Read More: How Film Festivals Decide Which Movies to Accept
“I love Los Angeles and I’m still enjoying my time here, so the combination of that and the fact that Tribeca saw it as an...
- 12/7/2016
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Loving is perhaps the least likely and most necessary film to accompany the conclusion of this year’s tumultuous U.S. presidential election: a drama that’s at once calm, even tranquil, and still a vital reminder of the possibility of progressive politics. The newest from writer-director Jeff Nichols (and his second this year, after Midnight Special) tells the story leading up to another momentous event in U.S. history, the landmark civil rights decision Loving v. Virginia, in 1967. But, as Alissa Wilkinson writes at Vox, it does so in a way unlike anything else we’ve seen in this election:It’s difficult, leading up to any election — and especially this one — to not see everything, including pop culture, through the lens of politics. But even by pre-election standards, Loving, about the couple at the center of the landmark 1967 Supreme Court case that invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage, would seem to be obviously political.
- 11/29/2016
- MUBI
Editors Note: This Jeff Nichols interview originally appeared May 15, just ahead of the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Loving. The dialogue seemed worth another look as the film opens this weekend to a wide audience as it continues its awards-season jaunt. There are few indie directors today ploughing their furrow as diligently and precisely as Jeff Nichols. From his debut with Shotgun Stories in 2007, Nichols has blended genre with flyover-state authenticity, telling…...
- 11/6/2016
- Deadline
With the romantic civil rights drama Loving opening in limited release today let's survey the short career (thus far) of writer/director Jeff Nichols. He turns 38 in a month but he's already made 5 pictures. With each subsequent effort pictures he seems to edge a wee bit closer to mainstream awareness and already has critics in his corner. The Oscar attention that will likely hit Loving, which focuses on Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred Loving (Ruth Negga) and their battles with Virginia's anti-miscegenation laws, will be a major step in that direction. None of his films to date have received an Oscar nomination of any kind though they've been in the "best of year" conversations.
How many of his films have you seen?
Shotgun Stories (2007) - Spirit Award John Cassavettes Nominee
Take Shelter (2011) -5 Spirit Award nominations with 1 win, Gotham Nominations for Feature & Ensemble
Mud (2013) - Spirit Award Best Direction Nomination,...
How many of his films have you seen?
Shotgun Stories (2007) - Spirit Award John Cassavettes Nominee
Take Shelter (2011) -5 Spirit Award nominations with 1 win, Gotham Nominations for Feature & Ensemble
Mud (2013) - Spirit Award Best Direction Nomination,...
- 11/4/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Ever since his debut feature Shotgun Stories, filmmaker Jeff Nichols has provided a voice for the South with films like Mud, Take Shelter and the action-thriller Midnight Special earlier this year. What he hadn’t done before was to tell a true story taken from a lesser-known part of the South, and a couple whose bravery helped lead to changes in the Constitution, specifically about men and women of different races being able to marry.
Nichols ended up writing and directing Loving, based on the true tale of Richard and Mildred Loving (as played by Joel Edgerton and Preacher’s Ruth Negga), who fall in love in Virginia in the late ‘50s. When she becomes pregnant, they go to Washington, DC to get married, essentially breaking Virginia laws about mixed race married couples. Upon returning home, they’re promptly arrested and the pregnant Mildred is thrown in jail, and they...
Nichols ended up writing and directing Loving, based on the true tale of Richard and Mildred Loving (as played by Joel Edgerton and Preacher’s Ruth Negga), who fall in love in Virginia in the late ‘50s. When she becomes pregnant, they go to Washington, DC to get married, essentially breaking Virginia laws about mixed race married couples. Upon returning home, they’re promptly arrested and the pregnant Mildred is thrown in jail, and they...
- 11/4/2016
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
Construction worker and mechanic Richard Loving marries his pregnant girlfriend, Mildred. But instead of happily ever after, the couple are arrested in their bedroom; they're told to get out of state pronto or face jail time. See, he's white and she's black. This is the state of Virginia in 1958 and interracial marriage isn't just frowned on. It's a crime.
So begins Loving, in which Joel Edgerton as Richard and Ruth Negga as Mildred give performances that will be talked about for years. It's the fifth feature from writer-director Jeff Nichols,...
So begins Loving, in which Joel Edgerton as Richard and Ruth Negga as Mildred give performances that will be talked about for years. It's the fifth feature from writer-director Jeff Nichols,...
- 11/1/2016
- Rollingstone.com
At a time when filmmakers can go from a tiny Sundance indie to a $200 million blockbuster virtually overnight, it’s been heartening to see Jeff Nichols’ slow-and-steady rise. Since his striking debut “Shotgun Stories,” Nichols has gotten a little bit bigger each time at bat — firstly with the apocalyptic “Take Shelter” with regular collaborator […]
The post Jeff Nichols Returns To Sci-Fi To Direct ‘Alien Nation’ Remake appeared first on The Playlist.
The post Jeff Nichols Returns To Sci-Fi To Direct ‘Alien Nation’ Remake appeared first on The Playlist.
- 9/9/2016
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Ryan Lambie Aug 5, 2016
Director Jeff Nichols talks to us about the making of his sci-fi gem Midnight Special and moving onto making a big-budget movie...
A boy with extraordinary powers. Government agents and other sinister forces pursuing the boy and his family across America. Such a story might imply a noisy, aggressive chase thriller, but director Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special offers up something far more thoughtful and intelligent. Sure, there are guns, stunts and some quite breathtaking images courtesy of those otherworldly powers possessed by the young Alton (Jaeden Liberher), but Midnight Special is also as dramatically involved and delicately crafted as Nichols’ earlier movies, which include the superb Take Shelter and Mud.
Midnight Special’s subtlety might explain why, despite its almost universal appreciation from critics, didn’t quite enjoy the box office success it deserved. In a multiplex landscape increasingly dominated by grand spectacle, Nichols’ sci-fi seemed almost...
Director Jeff Nichols talks to us about the making of his sci-fi gem Midnight Special and moving onto making a big-budget movie...
A boy with extraordinary powers. Government agents and other sinister forces pursuing the boy and his family across America. Such a story might imply a noisy, aggressive chase thriller, but director Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special offers up something far more thoughtful and intelligent. Sure, there are guns, stunts and some quite breathtaking images courtesy of those otherworldly powers possessed by the young Alton (Jaeden Liberher), but Midnight Special is also as dramatically involved and delicately crafted as Nichols’ earlier movies, which include the superb Take Shelter and Mud.
Midnight Special’s subtlety might explain why, despite its almost universal appreciation from critics, didn’t quite enjoy the box office success it deserved. In a multiplex landscape increasingly dominated by grand spectacle, Nichols’ sci-fi seemed almost...
- 8/4/2016
- Den of Geek
Filmmaker Jeff Nichols has distinguished himself with finely-wrought, outstanding dramas (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special) that develop in unexpected ways. His newest film, Loving, debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May and is heading for theatrical release on November 4. Our own Jason Gorber saw the film at Cannes and noted in his review: With Loving, Nichols has dialed the intensity down to a slow, quiet burn, making his gifts as a filmmaker even more acute. The story of a couple in Virginia who committed the crime of falling in love despite their different racial backgrounds is told as quietly as a murmur, as powerful and lyrically as an epic poem. It's a film whose tonality matches the affections of its leads,...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/12/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Director Jeff Nichols has shown amazing versatility in his career thus far. “Shotgun Stories” with Michael Shannon was a micro indie, “Take Shelter” was a psychological thriller with apocalyptic notions, his first big-budgeted movie, “Mud” was “Stand By Me”-ish and “Midnight Special” was a John Carpenter-esque thriller and chase film about a boy with superhuman […]
The post Love Finds Justice In First Trailer For Jeff Nichols’ ‘Loving’ With Joel Edgerton & Ruth Negga appeared first on The Playlist.
The post Love Finds Justice In First Trailer For Jeff Nichols’ ‘Loving’ With Joel Edgerton & Ruth Negga appeared first on The Playlist.
- 7/12/2016
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
In the summer of 2005, with roughly $50,000 scraped together from friends and family, Jeff Nichols made his directorial debut Shotgun Stories not far from where he grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. Two things haven’t changed since – Michael Shannon has been in front of the camera for every Nichols movie and cinematographer Adam Stone has been behind it. That includes Take Shelter, Mud, and now Midnight Special, which elevates Nichols to the studio realm with a tale of a father (Shannon) and his “special” son (Jaeden Lieberher) on the run from the government and a religious cult with […]...
- 6/30/2016
- by Matt Mulcahey
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
In a Spring of Superheroes, Why Did the Best Movie Lose?
With Captain America: Civil War hitting theaters today, I thought this might be a good time to talk about one of this spring’s best superhero movies. No, not that one. No, not that one, either. And definitely not that one. You know what, this is taking too long. It’s Midnight Special. We’re going to talk about Midnight Special.
Midnight Special was a long-time coming. In 2015, we named it our most anticipated release of the year; then news broke that the film would be pushed back a few months and, undeterred, we named it our most anticipated release of 2016. There’s aren’t very many filmmakers who warrant that amount of trust, but Jeff Nichols’s past films put him on a trajectory few could match. Shotgun Stories, Mud, and Take Shelter are deeply affecting character studies that also make the most of their...
With Captain America: Civil War hitting theaters today, I thought this might be a good time to talk about one of this spring’s best superhero movies. No, not that one. No, not that one, either. And definitely not that one. You know what, this is taking too long. It’s Midnight Special. We’re going to talk about Midnight Special.
Midnight Special was a long-time coming. In 2015, we named it our most anticipated release of the year; then news broke that the film would be pushed back a few months and, undeterred, we named it our most anticipated release of 2016. There’s aren’t very many filmmakers who warrant that amount of trust, but Jeff Nichols’s past films put him on a trajectory few could match. Shotgun Stories, Mud, and Take Shelter are deeply affecting character studies that also make the most of their...
- 5/6/2016
- by Matthew Monagle
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Every line in the poster above is correct about the film Midnight Special. It’s gripping, emotional and imaginative.
This film contains layers of depth and a mystifying tenor and has an extraordinary surprise reveal at the climax. (Review)
It’s an engaging and entertaining story and so far, one the best films this year.
Following impressive critical and audience response, the sci-fi thriller Midnight Special, from acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, earned an outstanding $38,000 per-screen average across only five theaters in its March 18th debut in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, for an approximate opening weekend total of $190,000 in only five theaters, making it one of the year’s most successful limited openings.
The film, starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, first played to overwhelming acclaim at its February 12th world premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival,...
This film contains layers of depth and a mystifying tenor and has an extraordinary surprise reveal at the climax. (Review)
It’s an engaging and entertaining story and so far, one the best films this year.
Following impressive critical and audience response, the sci-fi thriller Midnight Special, from acclaimed writer/director Jeff Nichols, earned an outstanding $38,000 per-screen average across only five theaters in its March 18th debut in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, for an approximate opening weekend total of $190,000 in only five theaters, making it one of the year’s most successful limited openings.
The film, starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher and Sam Shepard, first played to overwhelming acclaim at its February 12th world premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival,...
- 4/21/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Jeff Nichols’s gripping cosmic thriller has it all – a superb cast, gritty realism and a final-act reveal that will amaze you…
Ah, the eternal problem of the spoiler warning… You never want to give away too much plot in a film review – but then, plot isn’t always the biggest thing that you would ideally want to keep fresh for the viewer. In Jeff Nichols’s Midnight Special, two of the biggest surprises are particular visual effects, so I’ll disclose just one, namely that this terrific American science fiction/thriller hybrid does some (literally) dazzling things with a certain shade of blue light.
Midnight Special is the fourth feature by Jeff Nichols, the Arkansas-born writer-director who has rapidly established himself as an inventive, independent-minded talent with a firm belief in old-fashioned storytelling values. His 2007 debut, Shotgun Stories, a modest but taut family feud drama, helped establish its star,...
Ah, the eternal problem of the spoiler warning… You never want to give away too much plot in a film review – but then, plot isn’t always the biggest thing that you would ideally want to keep fresh for the viewer. In Jeff Nichols’s Midnight Special, two of the biggest surprises are particular visual effects, so I’ll disclose just one, namely that this terrific American science fiction/thriller hybrid does some (literally) dazzling things with a certain shade of blue light.
Midnight Special is the fourth feature by Jeff Nichols, the Arkansas-born writer-director who has rapidly established himself as an inventive, independent-minded talent with a firm belief in old-fashioned storytelling values. His 2007 debut, Shotgun Stories, a modest but taut family feud drama, helped establish its star,...
- 4/10/2016
- by Jonathan Romney
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars: Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Jaeden Lieberher, Adam Driver, Bill Camp, Scott Haze, Sam Shepard, Paul Sparks, David Jensen | Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols
Family and encroaching doom seem to be staple themes in Jeff Nichols’ filmography thus far with Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter and Mud all dealing with ideas of how the familial unit can be disturbed or destroyed but each of his films have had a different feel and approach to them which has made them feel legitimately different. With Midnight Special he does this again, with sci-fi of the 1980’s having a direct sway over its thriller narrative throughline but also in its attention to character amid the wonder.
Starting with a disconcerting in media res jolt, Midnight Special intrigues from the beginning with Nichols cleverly introducing two men, a father and his friend, already having supposedly kidnapped a child and on their way...
Family and encroaching doom seem to be staple themes in Jeff Nichols’ filmography thus far with Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter and Mud all dealing with ideas of how the familial unit can be disturbed or destroyed but each of his films have had a different feel and approach to them which has made them feel legitimately different. With Midnight Special he does this again, with sci-fi of the 1980’s having a direct sway over its thriller narrative throughline but also in its attention to character amid the wonder.
Starting with a disconcerting in media res jolt, Midnight Special intrigues from the beginning with Nichols cleverly introducing two men, a father and his friend, already having supposedly kidnapped a child and on their way...
- 4/9/2016
- by Ian Loring
- Nerdly
Midnight Special | The Huntsman: Winer’s War | Dheepan | Couple In A Hole | The Man Who Knew Infinity | Hardcore Henry | Boulevard | Nasty Baby | The Last Man On The Moon | I Am Belfast | The Passing
Already one of the most interesting film-makers around (Mud, Take Shelter, Shotgun Stories), Nichols adds a Close Encounters-like sci-fi element to his trademarked slow-burn intensity here. It’s best not to know too much, but the focus is a boy with special powers who is abducted by his father. Spielberg without the cheese.
Continue reading...
Already one of the most interesting film-makers around (Mud, Take Shelter, Shotgun Stories), Nichols adds a Close Encounters-like sci-fi element to his trademarked slow-burn intensity here. It’s best not to know too much, but the focus is a boy with special powers who is abducted by his father. Spielberg without the cheese.
Continue reading...
- 4/8/2016
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Midnight Special opens in cinemas on 8th April and is the fourth collaboration between actor Michael Shannon and writer/director Jeff Nichols. Through the years Shannon and Nichols have combined their talents on a number of critically acclaimed films which has cemented them as one of the most interesting and successful actor/director combinations. Shotgun Stories (2007) Shannon’s first collaboration with Jeff Nichols came in 2007 with Shotgun Stories. The film follows a feud that erupts between two sets of half brothers following the death of a father who left one family to start another. Set against the cotton fields and back roads of Southeast Arkansas, these brothers discover the lengths to which each will go to protect their family. Take Shelter (2011) In Take Shelter, father and husband Curtis (Shannon), is plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions. Convinced that he is witness to a prophecy and determined to protect his wife and children,...
- 4/6/2016
- by noreply@blogger.com (Vic Barry)
- www.themoviebit.com
With his fourth movie, director Jeff Nichols mines yet more strangeness from the American south. Here’s why you should tag along for the ride
Few things in moviegoing are as pleasurable as finding a young, talented film-maker early on in his or her career, and getting to watch them build, in real time, a distinctive body of work, from debut to sophomore outing, on to first decent, non-independent budget and maybe a first studio outing. If they’re lucky (and if we are, too), their worldview and palate will prove strong enough to resist new pressures of the money-based kind and rich enough to grow and deepen as the film-maker develops. And this isn’t a thrill confined to some mythical vanished golden age. You can do it right now. People like Rian Johnson, Ben Wheatley, Duncan Jones, Sarah Polley and Jeremy Saulnier offer us the chance to witness...
Few things in moviegoing are as pleasurable as finding a young, talented film-maker early on in his or her career, and getting to watch them build, in real time, a distinctive body of work, from debut to sophomore outing, on to first decent, non-independent budget and maybe a first studio outing. If they’re lucky (and if we are, too), their worldview and palate will prove strong enough to resist new pressures of the money-based kind and rich enough to grow and deepen as the film-maker develops. And this isn’t a thrill confined to some mythical vanished golden age. You can do it right now. People like Rian Johnson, Ben Wheatley, Duncan Jones, Sarah Polley and Jeremy Saulnier offer us the chance to witness...
- 4/4/2016
- by John Patterson
- The Guardian - Film News
With his film Midnight Special opening wide this weekend, Jeff Nichols is bringing his sci-fi exploration of fatherhood, government surveillance, and really bad commune haircuts to the national stage. In the past, Nichols’s films – indie dramas Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, and Mud – have been acclaimed by critics, and, as he would be the... Midnight Special Director Jeff Nichols On Finally Making The Big(ger) Budget Movie">Read more »...
- 4/1/2016
- by Teo Bugbee
- MTV Movie News
With his film Midnight Special opening wide this weekend, Jeff Nichols is bringing his sci-fi exploration of fatherhood, government surveillance, and really bad commune haircuts to the national stage. In the past, Nichols’s films – indie dramas Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, and Mud – have been acclaimed by critics, and, as he would be the... Midnight Special Director Jeff Nichols On Finally Making The Big(ger) Budget Movie">Read more »...
- 4/1/2016
- by Teo Bugbee
- MTV Newsroom
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