Soft & Quiet Momentum Pictures/Blumhouse Productions Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net, linked from Rotten Tomatoes by Harvey Karten Director: Beth de Araújo Screenwriter: Beth de Araújo Cast: Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Jon Beavers, Cissy Ly, Nina E. Jordan, Rebekah Wiggins, Jayden Leavitt, Jovita Molina, Shannon Mahoney Screened at: Critics’ […]
The post Soft & Quiet Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Soft & Quiet Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/9/2022
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Soft & Quiet opens with the character Emily (Stefanie Estes) crying over another negative pregnancy test inside a restroom stall. Naturally viewers might feel sorry for this person in emotional distress, yet that sense of sympathy gradually fades as the same character, an elementary teacher, talks to one of her students after school. Emily slyly indoctrinates a young boy, teaching him to fear those unlike him. From there Emily then travels by foot to an unknown destination, making the journey with a home-baked pie in her hands and a curious look on her face.
After a considerable trek through a nearby patch of woods, which are in hindsight the only moments of peace in Beth de Araújo’s overwhelming debut, Emily and a few other women gather inside a small church. As everyone at this sparsely attended meeting airs their complaints and bounces ideas off each other, it is abundantly...
After a considerable trek through a nearby patch of woods, which are in hindsight the only moments of peace in Beth de Araújo’s overwhelming debut, Emily and a few other women gather inside a small church. As everyone at this sparsely attended meeting airs their complaints and bounces ideas off each other, it is abundantly...
- 11/4/2022
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
“I just entered the country with derringers
‘Cause them Karens just turned into terrorists.”
— “Energy,” Beyonce
There’s something about Emily (Stefanie Estes) that strikes you as being just a little off. Maybe it’s the edginess emanating from this tall, blond woman when we first meet her, though to be fair, she’s taking a home pregnancy test and seems upset by the result. There’s definitely something micro-aggressive about the way she’s glaring at the Hispanic custodian who just passed by her classroom — Emily is a kindergarten...
‘Cause them Karens just turned into terrorists.”
— “Energy,” Beyonce
There’s something about Emily (Stefanie Estes) that strikes you as being just a little off. Maybe it’s the edginess emanating from this tall, blond woman when we first meet her, though to be fair, she’s taking a home pregnancy test and seems upset by the result. There’s definitely something micro-aggressive about the way she’s glaring at the Hispanic custodian who just passed by her classroom — Emily is a kindergarten...
- 11/4/2022
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Amid baked goods and cheerful introductions, a group of white women hold a meeting inside a small-town church. But before the first slice of pie has been eaten, the seemingly innocuous gathering sheds the veneer of innocence to reveal its atrocious intent.
One of the most audacious American debuts of the year, writer-director Beth de Araújo’s “Soft & Quiet” shocks one’s system from its opening moments and doesn’t ever slow down to let you fully process it as it happens. A whirlwind of increasingly horrifying hate speech that turns into actual violence, the film plays out in real time and was shot to give the impression of being a single take, making for a deliberately intense and disturbing experience.
The newly founded club is led by Emily (Stefanie Estes), a kindergarten teacher poisoning young minds, and exists to peddle white-supremacist ideologies. As they collectively complain about people...
One of the most audacious American debuts of the year, writer-director Beth de Araújo’s “Soft & Quiet” shocks one’s system from its opening moments and doesn’t ever slow down to let you fully process it as it happens. A whirlwind of increasingly horrifying hate speech that turns into actual violence, the film plays out in real time and was shot to give the impression of being a single take, making for a deliberately intense and disturbing experience.
The newly founded club is led by Emily (Stefanie Estes), a kindergarten teacher poisoning young minds, and exists to peddle white-supremacist ideologies. As they collectively complain about people...
- 11/4/2022
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
As a short filmmaker, Beth de Araújo explored dark material — love affairs at any cost, the price of drug addiction, sorority hazing. But that’s not horror, right? She didn’t think so. Then she made her feature debut with the terrifying and ambitious “Soft & Quiet,” a one-shot, real-world white-power nightmare. And that’s the kind of feature that should scare anyone.
“It’s funny now that people pin me as a horror director, because I’ve never shot horror in my life, but I love it,” de Araújo said during a recent interview with IndieWire. “I love crossing over expectations. The film is certainly horrific, and I think a lot of my work leans into that.”
“Soft & Quiet,” which debuted at SXSW in March and will be released Friday by Momentum Pictures, follows a single afternoon and evening in the life of an elementary school teacher as...
“It’s funny now that people pin me as a horror director, because I’ve never shot horror in my life, but I love it,” de Araújo said during a recent interview with IndieWire. “I love crossing over expectations. The film is certainly horrific, and I think a lot of my work leans into that.”
“Soft & Quiet,” which debuted at SXSW in March and will be released Friday by Momentum Pictures, follows a single afternoon and evening in the life of an elementary school teacher as...
- 11/3/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The thriller has sold in Scandinavia, Japan, Poland and the Middle East.
UK sales outfit Blue Finch Films has scored sales on director Beth de Araújo’s SXSW premiere, Soft & Quiet.
The debut feature from the Brazil-us filmmaker has sold in Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainment), Japan (New Select), Poland (Monolith Films) and the Middle East (Front Row).
As previously announced, Momentum Pictures will release the feature theatrically and on demand in North America and the UK from November 4.
Araújo also produced the thriller, alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden. It is executive produced by Robina Riccitiello with Beatriz Sequeira...
UK sales outfit Blue Finch Films has scored sales on director Beth de Araújo’s SXSW premiere, Soft & Quiet.
The debut feature from the Brazil-us filmmaker has sold in Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainment), Japan (New Select), Poland (Monolith Films) and the Middle East (Front Row).
As previously announced, Momentum Pictures will release the feature theatrically and on demand in North America and the UK from November 4.
Araújo also produced the thriller, alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden. It is executive produced by Robina Riccitiello with Beatriz Sequeira...
- 11/1/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Blumhouse Productions is one of the biggest names in the horror genre these days – and the folks at Blumhouse were so impressed by writer/director Beth de Araújo’s feature debut Soft & Quiet that they decided to put the company name on the movie ahead of its festival premiere, even though they weren’t involved in the making of it. The film has since landed a distribution deal with Momentum Pictures in the US, Canada, and the UK, and will be receiving a theatrical and VOD release on November 4th. With that date drawing near, a trailer for Soft & Quiet has arrived online and can be seen in the embed above.
Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time and follows
a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home,...
Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time and follows
a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home,...
- 10/24/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
A much-talked-about premiere at SXSW earlier this year, Beth de Araújo’s thriller Soft & Quiet, shot in real-time, follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher, Emily. She organizes an inaugural club meeting of like-minded women as their racist proclivities soon bubble up and a nightmare of white supremacy plays out. Starring Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Jon Beavers, and Cissy Ly, the first trailer has now arrived ahead of a release on November 4.
John Fink said in his review, “Told in real-time across one (seemingly) unbroken shot, Beth de Araújo’s Soft & Quiet is perhaps the most provocative film to screen at SXSW this year. If it doesn’t quite fit the bill as a traditional horror film, that doesn’t mean there isn’t terror lurking under its surface. Speaking after the screening, de Araujo said her intention is...
John Fink said in his review, “Told in real-time across one (seemingly) unbroken shot, Beth de Araújo’s Soft & Quiet is perhaps the most provocative film to screen at SXSW this year. If it doesn’t quite fit the bill as a traditional horror film, that doesn’t mean there isn’t terror lurking under its surface. Speaking after the screening, de Araujo said her intention is...
- 10/22/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"We can't come on too strong, okay? Soft on the outside…" Momentum Pics has revealed a trailer for an indie horror thriller titled Soft & Quiet, which first premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival earlier this year. Apparently it's such a strong debut that Blumhouse picked it up at the festival to help distribute it, with a release set for this November. The film, which plays out in real time, follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home to "keep the wine flowing", the teacher encounters a woman from her past at the local store, leading to a volatile chain of events. Uh oh. The ensemble cast features Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, & Melissa Paulo, with Jon Beavers, Cissy Ly, Nina E. Jordan, & Rebekah Wiggins. This starts out all nice and lovely,...
- 10/21/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Produced by Blumhouse and directed by Beth de Araújo, the SXSW movie Soft & Quiet has been picked up by Momentum Pictures, coming to theaters and VOD on November 4.
Soft & Quiet plays out in real-time, and the official trailer this afternoon ratchets up the tension for a truly nerve-shredding first look at what promises to be a conversation-starter.
Watch the official trailer for Soft & Quiet below.
“The movie follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.”
Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Jon Beavers, and Cissy Ly star in Soft & Quiet.
Beth de Araújo produced the title alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden, with Executive Producers Robina Riccitiello, Beatriz Sequeira and Jason Blum.
Soft & Quiet plays out in real-time, and the official trailer this afternoon ratchets up the tension for a truly nerve-shredding first look at what promises to be a conversation-starter.
Watch the official trailer for Soft & Quiet below.
“The movie follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.”
Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Jon Beavers, and Cissy Ly star in Soft & Quiet.
Beth de Araújo produced the title alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden, with Executive Producers Robina Riccitiello, Beatriz Sequeira and Jason Blum.
- 10/20/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Playing out in real time, Soft & Quiet is a runaway train that follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher, Emily, who organizes an inaugural club meeting of like-minded women. When they all decide to move the meeting to Emily’s house to keep the wine flowing, they stop at the local store to pick up refreshments. At the store, an altercation breaks out between a woman from Emily’s past and the group, leading to a volatile chain of events.
Soft & Quiet is written and directed by Beth de Araújo. Of her film, which premiered at SXSW, she says, “as artists, it is not our job to provide solutions. We are not policy makers. The job of the artist is to tell the truth as we see it and feel it.” The cast features Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo,...
Soft & Quiet is written and directed by Beth de Araújo. Of her film, which premiered at SXSW, she says, “as artists, it is not our job to provide solutions. We are not policy makers. The job of the artist is to tell the truth as we see it and feel it.” The cast features Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo,...
- 10/20/2022
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
When first-time feature filmmaker Beth de Araújo started writing her debut, the heart-pounding thriller “Soft & Quiet,” she didn’t just go for provocative storytelling. She wanted to film it using techniques that echoed the feelings of confinement and claustrophobia baked into her story. The result: a real-time drama that never lets up, not in its plot, and not in the ambitious way that plot is told. Oh, and she shot it four times in a row, back to back, night after night.
The film, which debuted at SXSW in March with the backing of Blumhouse Productions, is built to be unsettling, but that doesn’t mean it’s inaccessible. Per a synopsis written by de Araújo, the film “follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past,...
The film, which debuted at SXSW in March with the backing of Blumhouse Productions, is built to be unsettling, but that doesn’t mean it’s inaccessible. Per a synopsis written by de Araújo, the film “follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past,...
- 10/20/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Earlier this year, we heard that the folks at Blumhouse were so impressed by writer/director Beth de Araújo’s feature debut Soft & Quiet that they decided to put the company name on the movie ahead of its festival premiere, even though they weren’t involved in the making of it. Now it has been announced that we’re going to have a chance to see what’s so impressive about Soft & Quiet very soon, as Momentum Pictures has picked up the rights to distribute the film in the US, Canada, and the UK. They’re planning to give it a theatrical and VOD release on November 4th.
Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time and follows
a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past,...
Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time and follows
a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past,...
- 10/14/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Produced by Blumhouse and directed by Beth de Araújo, the SXSW horror movie Soft & Quiet has been picked up by Momentum Pictures, Deadline reports this afternoon.
The film will be released day and date in theaters and VOD on November 4.
“Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time,” Deadline notes.
“The movie follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.”
Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Jon Beavers, and Cissy Ly star in Soft & Quiet.
Beth de Araújo produced the title alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden, with Executive Producers Robina Riccitiello, Beatriz Sequeira and Jason Blum.
“Beth de Araújo finds spectacular moments of tension and discomfort in Soft & Quiet,...
The film will be released day and date in theaters and VOD on November 4.
“Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time,” Deadline notes.
“The movie follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.”
Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Jon Beavers, and Cissy Ly star in Soft & Quiet.
Beth de Araújo produced the title alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden, with Executive Producers Robina Riccitiello, Beatriz Sequeira and Jason Blum.
“Beth de Araújo finds spectacular moments of tension and discomfort in Soft & Quiet,...
- 10/14/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Momentum Pictures has acquired distribution rights in the US, Canada, and UK to Soft & Quiet, the debut feature from filmmaker Beth de Araújo which made its world premiere at SXSW.
The film, produced by Blumhouse and Second Grade Teacher, earned gripping reviews out the Austin, TX event, near 90. The pic will be released day and date in theaters and VOD on Nov. 4.
Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time. The pic follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.
Araújo produced the title alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden, with Executive Producers Robina Riccitiello, Beatriz Sequeira and Jason Blum.
“Beth de Araújo finds spectacular moments of tension and discomfort in Soft & Quiet,...
The film, produced by Blumhouse and Second Grade Teacher, earned gripping reviews out the Austin, TX event, near 90. The pic will be released day and date in theaters and VOD on Nov. 4.
Soft & Quiet is a thriller that plays out in real time. The pic follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.
Araújo produced the title alongside Saba Zerehi, Josh Peters, and Joshua Beirne-Golden, with Executive Producers Robina Riccitiello, Beatriz Sequeira and Jason Blum.
“Beth de Araújo finds spectacular moments of tension and discomfort in Soft & Quiet,...
- 10/14/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Soft & Quiet Review — Soft & Quiet (2022) Film Review from the 29th Annual South by Southwest Film Festival, a movie written and directed by Beth de Araujo and starring Stefanie Estes, Nina E. Jordan, Jon Beavers, Jayden Leavitt, Olivia Luccardi, Cissy Ly, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Eleanore Pienta and Rebekah Wiggins. Soft & [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Soft & Quiet: Bone-Chilling Film Has a Terrific Start but Shaky Ending [SXSW 2022]...
Continue reading: Film Review: Soft & Quiet: Bone-Chilling Film Has a Terrific Start but Shaky Ending [SXSW 2022]...
- 3/15/2022
- by Thomas Duffy
- Film-Book
Emily really, really needs this meeting to go well. After all, the kindergarten teacher’s day has already been beset by problems both large and small (the obviously illegal janitor at her elementary school had the audacity to do her job when children — little children! who could have slipped on her just-mopped floors! — were still around). Emily (a riveting Stefanie Estes) might not be able to control what she makes with her body or the people who come into her orbit, but in Beth de Araújo’s nerve-shredding real-time thriller “Soft & Quiet,” she’s hellbent on changing what she can, all set against the backdrop of
With the workday over and some casual racism behind her, Emily is about to set out on a very important endeavor: gathering a gaggle of like-minded white women for what she hopes will be the first meeting of many. She’s got everything set: a curated guest list,...
With the workday over and some casual racism behind her, Emily is about to set out on a very important endeavor: gathering a gaggle of like-minded white women for what she hopes will be the first meeting of many. She’s got everything set: a curated guest list,...
- 3/12/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
That homemade cherry pie you see Emily carrying in the opening scene of “Soft & Quiet”? It’s not what you think. But then, neither is Emily, a tall blond kindergarten teacher who cuts through the woods behind school to attend a gathering of like-minded women. Women who call themselves “Daughters for Aryan Unity” and complain about concepts such as “reverse racism.” Upon arriving, Emily removes the aluminum foil and reveals a giant swastika carved into the crust. It’s her idea of a joke — like the transgressive Nazi salute she sneaks in the parking lot after the meeting.
You know what else Emily tells herself is just a joke? Gathering her spiteful white friends and driving out to the house of a local waitress — a woman who isn’t white, and who doesn’t fit Emily’s narrow idea of racial superiority — with the goal of confiscating her passport.
You know what else Emily tells herself is just a joke? Gathering her spiteful white friends and driving out to the house of a local waitress — a woman who isn’t white, and who doesn’t fit Emily’s narrow idea of racial superiority — with the goal of confiscating her passport.
- 3/12/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
There’s a euphoria among film sellers and buyers as SXSW finally convenes Friday in Austin, Texas after a three-year pandemic shutdown.
With the last two editions of the Sundance Film Festival being virtual, and the hybrid edition of TIFF seeing reduced capacities, few industry execs, and a muted atmosphere, SXSW marks the return to packed, receptive audiences; actual live pulses which can trigger good reviews and social media wattage, culminating in what some believe could be an active sales market here in Texas’s capital.
SXSW has a knack for programming comedies, genre, and genre-twisted features; titles which are best experienced by a reactive audience. Sellers previously told Deadline that virtual viewing of such fare at recent fests doesn’t really help their cause. While SXSW is enforcing vaxx cards and mask-wearing indoors, screenings will be at full capacity. In 2019, SXSW drew a reported 73K attendees alone to the...
With the last two editions of the Sundance Film Festival being virtual, and the hybrid edition of TIFF seeing reduced capacities, few industry execs, and a muted atmosphere, SXSW marks the return to packed, receptive audiences; actual live pulses which can trigger good reviews and social media wattage, culminating in what some believe could be an active sales market here in Texas’s capital.
SXSW has a knack for programming comedies, genre, and genre-twisted features; titles which are best experienced by a reactive audience. Sellers previously told Deadline that virtual viewing of such fare at recent fests doesn’t really help their cause. While SXSW is enforcing vaxx cards and mask-wearing indoors, screenings will be at full capacity. In 2019, SXSW drew a reported 73K attendees alone to the...
- 3/11/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Blumhouse is coming on board Beth de Araújo’s SXSW debut Soft & Quiet, which is making its festival premiere in the narrative feature competition on Saturday.
CAA Media Finance and Blumhouse are selling the feature at SXSW.
The movie is writer-director Araújo’s feature length debut, and as part of the agreement, the film will be branded a Blumhouse feature.
The thriller, which plays out in real time, follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.
“I’m thrilled Jason and the Blumhouse team responded so strongly to Soft & Quiet. They are such a recognizable and trusted brand for audiences,” Araújo said. “Blumhouse has consistently put out films that are daring and resonate with viewers.
CAA Media Finance and Blumhouse are selling the feature at SXSW.
The movie is writer-director Araújo’s feature length debut, and as part of the agreement, the film will be branded a Blumhouse feature.
The thriller, which plays out in real time, follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.
“I’m thrilled Jason and the Blumhouse team responded so strongly to Soft & Quiet. They are such a recognizable and trusted brand for audiences,” Araújo said. “Blumhouse has consistently put out films that are daring and resonate with viewers.
- 3/8/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Martin Scorsese's After Hours starring Griffin Dunne will have a free screening on Governors Island Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Film at Lincoln Center and the Trust for Governors Island have announced free summer screenings with the programme titled Escape in New York that will be produced by Rooftop Films. Barry Sonnenfeld's Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, preceded by Pacho Velez & Yoni Brook's Mr. Yellow Sweatshirt; Martin Scorsese's After Hours, preceded by Eleanore Pienta's Ada, and Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind with Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Kirsten Dunst and Mark Ruffalo, preceded by Michael Almereyda on Kenneth Koch’s To The Unknown will screen on Governors Island.
Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind to close Escape in New York Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
“In 2018, our inaugural film series presented in partnership with Film at Lincoln Center was a huge success,...
Film at Lincoln Center and the Trust for Governors Island have announced free summer screenings with the programme titled Escape in New York that will be produced by Rooftop Films. Barry Sonnenfeld's Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, preceded by Pacho Velez & Yoni Brook's Mr. Yellow Sweatshirt; Martin Scorsese's After Hours, preceded by Eleanore Pienta's Ada, and Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind with Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Kirsten Dunst and Mark Ruffalo, preceded by Michael Almereyda on Kenneth Koch’s To The Unknown will screen on Governors Island.
Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind to close Escape in New York Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
“In 2018, our inaugural film series presented in partnership with Film at Lincoln Center was a huge success,...
- 5/30/2019
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
"Who are these people trying to protect themselves from?" Freestyle Digital Media has debuted the first trailer for the indie comedy A Bad Idea Gone Wrong, a goofy film about two wanna-be thieves who trap themselves in a house they just broke into. Yeah, it's pretty much one of those why-not, let's-try-it concepts that kind of works, but also kind of doesn't. This played at a few festivals this year to quite a bit of acclaim, like winning the Best Feature prize at the dead Center Film Festival. The cast of A Bad Idea Gone Wrong includes Matt Jones, Will Rogers, Eleanore Pienta, Sam Eidson, and Jonny Mars. This looks a bit odd, there's something weird about the trailer that doesn't feel quite right to me. But I do think this seems like the film would be worth seeing at a festival. There's something quirky about it that's appealing enough.
- 11/17/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
A team of notables are behind a forthcoming independent web series about “the opposing but intersecting trajectories of a lesbian soon-to-be nun (Ana Fabrega), her Jewish stalker (Carl Kranz), and the object of her affection (Hari Nef).” In addition to the actors above, the cast includes Eleanore Pienta (star of Filmmaker favorite See You Next Tuesday) and 2015 25 New Face Zia Anger, and the series is written, directed and edited by Sarah Salovaara (the short Google Ambien and also a former Filmmaker Contributing Web Editor). It’s produced by Rachel Wolther — whose Snowy Bing Bong was a delirious highlight […]...
- 7/11/2017
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
What is “Snowy Bing Bongs?” As with most projects involving “Swiss Army Man” co-directors Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert — aka “Daniels” — you kind of have to watch it. Originally performed as a stage play by the dance-comedy trio Cocoon Central Dance Team, the 40-minute film that’s “part psychotropic performance art spectacle, part absurdist sketch show” premieres at Brooklyn’s BAMcinemaFEST. Its path to that point was as unpredictable as the movie itself.
Read More: How the ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Went From Working With Lil Jon to Daniel Radcliffe
Cocoon Central founders Tallie Medel, Sunita Mani and Eleanore Pienta — aka the Bing Bongs — have been longtime collaborators with the Daniels, dating back to their days at Emerson College in Boston. That was before Kwan and Scheinert made names for themselves as the directors of visually-inventive music videos, which led to their surreal 2016 Sundance breakout.
“Basically, every movie I made...
Read More: How the ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Went From Working With Lil Jon to Daniel Radcliffe
Cocoon Central founders Tallie Medel, Sunita Mani and Eleanore Pienta — aka the Bing Bongs — have been longtime collaborators with the Daniels, dating back to their days at Emerson College in Boston. That was before Kwan and Scheinert made names for themselves as the directors of visually-inventive music videos, which led to their surreal 2016 Sundance breakout.
“Basically, every movie I made...
- 6/19/2017
- by Chris O'Falt and Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
At a packed Paramount Theater this evening, the SXSW Film Festival, now at the halfway mark, handed out their big film awards. The fest’s two big competition jury prizes went to director Ana Asensio’s “Most Beautiful Island” (Best Narrative Feature) and directors Jairus McLeary and Gethin Aldous’s “The Work” (Best Narrative Feature).
Read More: Terrence Malick Makes a Rare Appearance at SXSW 2017 and Digs Deep On His Process
Asensio, a Spanish actress and filmmaker living in New York, shot her film in super 16mm. It tells the story of undocumented female immigrants struggling to start a life in New York. It is a feature film debut for Asensio, who also stars and wrote the screenplay. “Island” is being billed as a dramatic thriller and was produced by the New York horror master Larry Fessenden’s Glass Eye Pix.
The Doc Prize winner, “The Work,” is an intense...
Read More: Terrence Malick Makes a Rare Appearance at SXSW 2017 and Digs Deep On His Process
Asensio, a Spanish actress and filmmaker living in New York, shot her film in super 16mm. It tells the story of undocumented female immigrants struggling to start a life in New York. It is a feature film debut for Asensio, who also stars and wrote the screenplay. “Island” is being billed as a dramatic thriller and was produced by the New York horror master Larry Fessenden’s Glass Eye Pix.
The Doc Prize winner, “The Work,” is an intense...
- 3/15/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
First-time burglars are accident prone. But these guys are also a whole lot more polite than your average criminal. TheWrap has been given the first look at Indie Comedy “A Bad Idea Gone Wrong.” Watch the clip above and see how ‘Breaking Bad” alum Matt L. Jones and “Bridge of Spies” actor Will Rogers toil over ruining their mark’s rug. Also with Eleanore Pienta, the film will have its world premiere at the upcoming 2017 SXSW Festival this Saturday, March 11. Marlon (Jones) and Leo (Rogers) are aspiring thieves poised for their very first score. The problem is they have no idea what they’re doing.
- 3/7/2017
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Yesterday SXSW unveiled the full slate for this year’s film festival. Hihglights include the world premiere of the first feature from 25 New Face Anthony Onah, the world premieres of new features from Edgar Wright, Terrence Malick and Joe Swanberg, and a boatload of popular titles from this year’s Sundance. This year’s SXSW runs March 10 to 19. Narrative Feature Competition A Bad Idea Gone Wrong (World Premiere) Director/Screenwriter: Jason Headley Two would-be thieves forge a surprising relationship with with an unexpected housesitter when they accidentally trap themselves in a house they just broke into. Cast: Matt Jones, Eleanore Pienta, Will […]...
- 2/1/2017
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
After drawing attention to the festival’s annual Gaming Awards, organizers behind the South by Southwest Film Festival have posted the full, comprehensive lineup, revealing that the likes of Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver and Free Fire, the riotous ensemble thriller from Ben Wheatley, are among those films that will screen for critics and attendees.
Per SXSW 2017‘s website, this year’s showcase will host “84 World Premieres, 11 North American Premieres, and 6 Us Premieres. First-time filmmakers account for 51 films, continuing our tradition of unearthing the emergent talent of tomorrow.” British auteur Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers, A Field in England) is a regular of the Texas festival, and will be rubbing shoulders with other favorites including Michael Winterbottom, Nacho Vigalondo, Michael Showalter.
SXSW 2017 begins on March 10th in Austin, Texas and you can get up to speed on everything the festival has to offer down below.
Narrative Feature Competition
A Bad Idea Gone Wrong...
Per SXSW 2017‘s website, this year’s showcase will host “84 World Premieres, 11 North American Premieres, and 6 Us Premieres. First-time filmmakers account for 51 films, continuing our tradition of unearthing the emergent talent of tomorrow.” British auteur Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers, A Field in England) is a regular of the Texas festival, and will be rubbing shoulders with other favorites including Michael Winterbottom, Nacho Vigalondo, Michael Showalter.
SXSW 2017 begins on March 10th in Austin, Texas and you can get up to speed on everything the festival has to offer down below.
Narrative Feature Competition
A Bad Idea Gone Wrong...
- 1/31/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
The Film Society of Lincoln Center today announced the lineup for Explorations, a new section featuring bold selections from the vanguard of contemporary cinema, and Main Slate shorts for the 54th New York Film Festival.
Read More: Nyff Reveals Main Slate of 2016 Titles, Including ‘Manchester By the Sea,’ ‘Paterson’ and ‘Personal Shopper’
Explorations is devoted to work from around the world, from filmmakers across the spectrum of experience and artistic sensibility. It kicks off with six features, including Albert Serra’s latest, “The Death of Louis Xiv,” featuring a tour de force performance by French cinema legend Jean-Pierre Léaud; Douglas Gordon’s portrait of avant-garde icon Jonas Mekas, “I Had Nowhere to Go”; João Pedro Rodrigues’s “The Ornithologist”, which won him the Best Director prize at Locarno; as well as Natalia Almada’s “Everything Else”, Gastón Solnicki’s “Kékszakállú,” and Oliver Laxe’s “Mimosas.”
New York Film Festival Director...
Read More: Nyff Reveals Main Slate of 2016 Titles, Including ‘Manchester By the Sea,’ ‘Paterson’ and ‘Personal Shopper’
Explorations is devoted to work from around the world, from filmmakers across the spectrum of experience and artistic sensibility. It kicks off with six features, including Albert Serra’s latest, “The Death of Louis Xiv,” featuring a tour de force performance by French cinema legend Jean-Pierre Léaud; Douglas Gordon’s portrait of avant-garde icon Jonas Mekas, “I Had Nowhere to Go”; João Pedro Rodrigues’s “The Ornithologist”, which won him the Best Director prize at Locarno; as well as Natalia Almada’s “Everything Else”, Gastón Solnicki’s “Kékszakállú,” and Oliver Laxe’s “Mimosas.”
New York Film Festival Director...
- 8/29/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Cocoon Central Dance Team is a New York-based comedy dance troupe made up of three talented women: Sunita Mani, Eleanore Pienta and Tallie Medel. They are each up-and-coming actors in their own right, landing roles in indie films, big music videos and on television. But their work as a trio, as Cocoon Central Dance Team, is what we focus on in this episode of She Does Podcast because they truly are a remarkably talented, gut-busting, thigh slapping, absurd-outfit-wearing, glitter-throwing, dance-until-you-laugh-until-you-cry group of women. Cocoon has performed at Upright Citizen’s Brigade, MoMa PS1, The Pit, Showgasm with John Early and Cast […]...
- 1/19/2016
- by Elaine Sheldon and Sarah Ginsburg
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Cocoon Central Dance Team is a New York-based comedy dance troupe made up of three talented women: Sunita Mani, Eleanore Pienta and Tallie Medel. They are each up-and-coming actors in their own right, landing roles in indie films, big music videos and on television. But their work as a trio, as Cocoon Central Dance Team, is what we focus on in this episode of She Does Podcast because they truly are a remarkably talented, gut-busting, thigh slapping, absurd-outfit-wearing, glitter-throwing, dance-until-you-laugh-until-you-cry group of women. Cocoon has performed at Upright Citizen’s Brigade, MoMa PS1, The Pit, Showgasm with John Early and Cast […]...
- 1/19/2016
- by Elaine Sheldon and Sarah Ginsburg
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The American Film Institute announced today the films that will screen in the World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight, Shorts and Cinema’s Legacy programs at AFI Fest 2015 presented by Audi.
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
- 10/22/2015
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
For your Monday, here’s an exclusive clip from the slacker comedy 7 Chinese Brothers, starring Jason Schwartzman. The film follows Schwartzman’s Larry, a bluntly honest, abrasive and constantly drunk slacker who takes a job at the local Quick-Lube to support himself and his faithful dog Arrow, and maybe hit on his new boss in the meantime. The film stars Schwartzman, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root, Tunde Adebimpe, and Eleanore Pienta as well as Schwartzman's real life dog…...
- 8/31/2015
- Deadline
Watch: Jason Schwartzman Is A Likable But Lazy Quick Lube Technician in '7 Chinese Brothers' Trailer
Read More: Watch: Jason Schwartzman Talks to Dogs in Exclusive 'Seven Chinese Brothers' SXSW Clips and Poster Jason Schwartzman stars as Larry, a likable, funny but frustratingly lazy slacker trying to get a job in this new trailer for "7 Chinese Brothers." After getting fired from his job, Larry, with the help of his friend (played by Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio), nagging from his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) and love for alcohol, attempts to find a stable job. He ends up as a Quick Lube technician and finds himself falling for his boss (Eleanore Pienta). Bob Byington's "7 Chinese Brothers" promises both an assessment of the slacker lifestyle and a hopeful critique of it; despite what looks like a bleak situation, Larry consistently cracks jokes and makes light of his circumstances. Schwartzman's adorable real-life dog, Arrow, co-stars. Watch the trailer above. "7 Chinese Brothers" comes out in theaters on August 28. Read More:.
- 7/17/2015
- by Meredith Mattlin
- Indiewire
The sales company has acquired international sales rights to Bob Byington’s Jason Schwartzman starrer.
Seana Flanagan, Molly Christie Benson and Nancy Schafer produced 7 Chinese Brothers and Christos V Konstantakopoulos of Faliro of House Productions served as executive producer.
Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta and Stephen Root star in the tale of an unemployed man with a callous outlook on life who tries to change his life to win the heart of a co-worker.
Spotlight brokered the deal with producers Flanagan and Schafer.
Seana Flanagan, Molly Christie Benson and Nancy Schafer produced 7 Chinese Brothers and Christos V Konstantakopoulos of Faliro of House Productions served as executive producer.
Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta and Stephen Root star in the tale of an unemployed man with a callous outlook on life who tries to change his life to win the heart of a co-worker.
Spotlight brokered the deal with producers Flanagan and Schafer.
- 5/20/2015
- by [email protected] (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Spotlight Pictures has added 7 Chinese Brothers to its Cannes sales slate. The comedy from writer-director Bob Byington (Somebody Up There Likes Me) debuted at SXSW in March and will have a U.S. day-and-date release through Screen Media Films in August. Jason Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta, Stephen Root and Olympia Dukakis star. Producers are Seana Flanagan, Molly Christie Benson, and Nancy Schafer with executive producer Christos V…...
- 5/18/2015
- Deadline
Screen Media Films has acquired U.S. rights to Bob Byington’s comedy “7 Chinese Brothers” starring Jason Schwartzman, his dog Arrow, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root, Tunde Adebimpe and Eleanore Pienta. “7 Chinese Brothers,” which premiered at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival, will be released in August as a day-and-date theatrical release. Schwartzman stars as Larry, an inebriated sad sack who rides a tide of booze onto the shores of an undiscriminating Quick-Lube. The only bright spot is probably his boss, Lupe (Pienta). Will Larry keep it together long enough to win the girl, provide for his French bulldog (Schwartzman’s real-life dog...
- 5/5/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Read More: 'Krisha,' 'Tangerine,' 'The Wolfpack' and More Announced for Rooftop Films' 2015 Summer SeriesScreen Media Films has acquired U.S. rights to director Bob Byington's "7 Chinese Brothers." The film debuted at this year's SXSW Film Festival. Jason Schwartzman stars as Larry, a drunk with a sad job whose only redeeming quality is his boss Lupe, played be Eleanore Pienta. Larry has a lot on his plate, and as he sinks further into booze, he tries to win over the girl of his dreams, take care of his dog and make his grandmother proud of him. Not easy tasks. "We’ve been fans of Jason and Bob’s work for a while and couldn’t be happier to be working on '7 Chinese Brothers' with them,” said Seth Needle, Director of Acquisitions & Marketing for Screen Media Films. “They both deliver the usual funny/quirky/insightful efforts we’ve...
- 5/5/2015
- by Travis Clark
- Indiewire
Screen Media Films, which just released the Helen Hunt-directed surf movie Ride on the specialty box office front over the weekend, has acquired U.S. rights to Bob Byington's comedy 7 Chinese Brothers. Jason Schwartzman, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root, Tunde Adebimpe and Eleanore Pienta star. It will be released day-and-date in August after it world premiered in March at SXSW. Schwartzman plays Larry, an inebriated sad sack who rides a tide of booze onto the shores of an…...
- 5/5/2015
- Deadline
Round-up: Screen Media Films has acquired Us rights to the film starring Jason Schwartzman. In other news, Arc has acquired Freedom, Kino Lorber will release Patch Town and Rialto has set a release for its restored version of The Third Man.
7 Chinese Brothers (pictured) premiered at SXSW and will go out day-and-date on theatrical and digital platforms in August.
Bob Byington wrote and directed the film about an alcoholic who works at a car maintenance store and tries to keep his life together in order to win over his boss.
Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root, Tunde Adebimpe and Eleanore Pienta also star.
Seth Needle of Screen Media brokered the deal with Zac Bright of Preferred Content and Wme Global on behalf of the filmmakers.
Arc Entertainment has acquired Us rights to Freedom starring Cuba Gooding Jr and has set a June 5 theatrical and digital day-and-date release. Peter Cousens directed the family drama about the connection between a slave...
7 Chinese Brothers (pictured) premiered at SXSW and will go out day-and-date on theatrical and digital platforms in August.
Bob Byington wrote and directed the film about an alcoholic who works at a car maintenance store and tries to keep his life together in order to win over his boss.
Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root, Tunde Adebimpe and Eleanore Pienta also star.
Seth Needle of Screen Media brokered the deal with Zac Bright of Preferred Content and Wme Global on behalf of the filmmakers.
Arc Entertainment has acquired Us rights to Freedom starring Cuba Gooding Jr and has set a June 5 theatrical and digital day-and-date release. Peter Cousens directed the family drama about the connection between a slave...
- 5/5/2015
- ScreenDaily
Jason Schwartzman has managed to play just about every version of a loser over the years, so it’s no surprise that when taking on one who has simply lost his job and has no will to seek anything better, he’s spot-on. What is a surprise is how he’s able to take such a character who hardly does anything and make him feel full and thus enjoyable to watch. But that’s exactly what he does in Bob Byington’s 7 Chinese Brothers.
After being fired from his job for stealing, Larry (Schwartzman) gets a new job at a Quick Lube. He quickly falls for his boss Lupe (Eleanore Pienta), even though he doesn’t seem to have a chance with her. When he’s not busy cracking jokes at work, he goes to visit his grandma (Olympia Dukakis) and Major, an orderly (Tunde Adebimpe) at the nursing home...
After being fired from his job for stealing, Larry (Schwartzman) gets a new job at a Quick Lube. He quickly falls for his boss Lupe (Eleanore Pienta), even though he doesn’t seem to have a chance with her. When he’s not busy cracking jokes at work, he goes to visit his grandma (Olympia Dukakis) and Major, an orderly (Tunde Adebimpe) at the nursing home...
- 3/25/2015
- by Alexander Lowe
- We Got This Covered
SXSW 2015 Film Review
complete coverage of the SXSW Film Festival 2015
7 Chinese Brothers
Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington
A man unaccustomed to telling the truth learns to at least describe it. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root. (World Premiere) (film synopsis from sxsw.com)
Overall
The film is almost about nothing, just like the title of the film. Most of the time this doesn’t matter because we get to watch Schwartzman do many Schwartzman things, including acting opposite his real-life dog. There is a very sweet and surprisingly authentic death involving a key character. Besides that moment, when the film ends, you’ll quickly forget about it and move on.
Final Score: 6/10
Adult Beginners
Director: Ross Katz, Screenwriters: Jeff Cox, Elizabeth Flahive
Out of a job after a disastrous product launch, a big-city yuppie retreats to his suburban childhood home, in this heart-warming and hilarious film about crashing hard,...
complete coverage of the SXSW Film Festival 2015
7 Chinese Brothers
Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington
A man unaccustomed to telling the truth learns to at least describe it. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root. (World Premiere) (film synopsis from sxsw.com)
Overall
The film is almost about nothing, just like the title of the film. Most of the time this doesn’t matter because we get to watch Schwartzman do many Schwartzman things, including acting opposite his real-life dog. There is a very sweet and surprisingly authentic death involving a key character. Besides that moment, when the film ends, you’ll quickly forget about it and move on.
Final Score: 6/10
Adult Beginners
Director: Ross Katz, Screenwriters: Jeff Cox, Elizabeth Flahive
Out of a job after a disastrous product launch, a big-city yuppie retreats to his suburban childhood home, in this heart-warming and hilarious film about crashing hard,...
- 3/19/2015
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
7 Chinese Brothers, Bob Byington’s latest, takes its title cue from an Rem song, so the familial rapports on display might not be exactly what you suspect. Jason Schwartzman stars as Larry, a boozed-up, bedraggled sad sack, who punctuates his big gulp binges with extended visits to his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) and her supervisor (Tunde Adebimpe) in a nearby nursing home. Things start to look up when he takes a gig at the local Quick-Lube, where he develops an instant crush on his boss, Lupe (Eleanore Pienta), even if her interests plainly lie elsewhere. Filmmaker spoke to Byington about his satirical treatment of […]...
- 3/12/2015
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
7 Chinese Brothers, Bob Byington’s latest, takes its title cue from an Rem song, so the familial rapports on display might not be exactly what you suspect. Jason Schwartzman stars as Larry, a boozed-up, bedraggled sad sack, who punctuates his big gulp binges with extended visits to his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) and her supervisor (Tunde Adebimpe) in a nearby nursing home. Things start to look up when he takes a gig at the local Quick-Lube, where he develops an instant crush on his boss, Lupe (Eleanore Pienta), even if her interests plainly lie elsewhere. Filmmaker spoke to Byington about his satirical treatment of […]...
- 3/12/2015
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
If one were to head on over to my most anticipated films of SXSW list, one would see the inclusion of Bob Byington's latest film 7 Chinese Brothers, which stars Jason Schwartzman. I did not wholly love Byington's previous film Somebody Up There Likes Me, but I saw a lot of promise there and was eager to see what he had next. The man has a very unique comic voice, which I think deserves to be noticed. That said, if you'd like further introduction, I have five clips from the movie (h/t The Playlist) for you all to watch. Considering the film is only 75 minutes long, I will not be watching them as they could possibly take up a significant portion of the runtime. But for those of you who do not know what this film is, which may be a good portion of you, give them a watch below.
- 3/11/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
Read More: SXSW Review: Bob Byington's Moving and Surreal 'Somebody Up There Likes Me' Is His Most Accessible Film to Date If you've ever wanted to watch a movie in which Jason Schwartzman confides in, yells at and gets lost with his dog, "Seven Chinese Brothers" is definitely for you. "Seven Chinese Brothers," set for a SXSW premiere next week, stars Schwartzman as Larry, a down-on-his-luck sad-sack balancing a lot: His affinity for booze, his affection for his boss (Eleanore Pienta), his irritation with his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) and, most importantly, his dedication to his dog (Arrow, Schwartzman's real-life french bulldog). The loose and funny slice-of-life comes from director Bob Byington, whose recent credits include "Harmony and Me" and "Somebody Up There Likes Me." In the three exclusive clips of the film posted below, Larry gets lost on the road, goes for a walk and admits a...
- 3/11/2015
- by David Canfield
- Indiewire
The number of features and documentaries with Austin and/or Texas connections at SXSW Film Festival, which takes place from March 13-21, is staggering this year. As in the past, many familiar local filmmakers and cast have multiple movies with which they're associated. Here's this year's slate:
Headliners:
Manglehorn (pictured at top) -- During my interview with director David Gordon Green at Dallas Iff last year, he described this film starring Al Pacino as an urban movie "looking through the face of characters, three wandering souls looking for their place on a magical journey. Melancholy but full of hope and life and love." (screening times)
Narrative Spotlight:
7 Chinese Brothers -- Written and directed by Bob Byington (Somebody Up There Likes Me), this film features Jason Schwartzman as despondent and drunk Larry, whose only true companion is his French bulldog, as he pines for his Quick-Lube boss Lupe (Eleanore Pienta...
Headliners:
Manglehorn (pictured at top) -- During my interview with director David Gordon Green at Dallas Iff last year, he described this film starring Al Pacino as an urban movie "looking through the face of characters, three wandering souls looking for their place on a magical journey. Melancholy but full of hope and life and love." (screening times)
Narrative Spotlight:
7 Chinese Brothers -- Written and directed by Bob Byington (Somebody Up There Likes Me), this film features Jason Schwartzman as despondent and drunk Larry, whose only true companion is his French bulldog, as he pines for his Quick-Lube boss Lupe (Eleanore Pienta...
- 3/11/2015
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
The South by Southwest Film Festival is starting up this Friday, and I could not be more excited. This is my fourth year of attending the fest, and each year brings about a couple of films I love. What is also great about SXSW is, unlike Toronto or Cannes, there is plenty of room for discovery. Many films are making their world premieres here from lesser known filmmakers. SXSW also brings together an eclectic assortment of genres for the program, from indie dramas to horror films to science-fiction to you name it. I think going to those aforementioned festivals and just seeing "prestige pictures" continuously could get a bit boring. Sure, SXSW has a higher risk for a terrible movie, but the risk is exciting. Consequently, making a most anticipated list for a festival offering a lot of discoveries seems like a contradiction. But, of course, if you look through the program,...
- 3/10/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
This week, Austin breaks out the BBQ and gets ready for the SXSW Film Festival. As per usual, there is a huge slate of movies to dig into, from promising indies to big studio hopefuls. That means that the pictures are doing all they can to stay on the radar, while not giving up the game too early for the excitement of the premiere. And writer/director Bob Byington is keeping things fun with the previews for his "7 Chinese Brothers." Starring Jason Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta, Stephen Root, and Olympia Dukakis, the film centers on a young man trying to put his life together, with this loyal dog by his side. Here's the official synopsis: Jason Schwartzman portrays Larry, an inebriated sad sack who rides a tide of booze onto the shores of an undiscriminating Quick-Lube. The only bright spot is probably his boss, Lupe (Eleanore Pienta). Will...
- 3/9/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
South by Southwest, the multi-faceted film, music and technology festival held annually in Austin, TX will feature such upcoming films as Paul Feig’s Spy, David Gordon Green’s Manglehorn, Alex Gibney’s documentary Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, and Ondi Timoner’s Russell Brand profile Brand: A Second Coming as headliners in this year’s film festival lineup.
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
- 2/3/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
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