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  • 'Zero Dark Thirty,' 'Breaking Bad' Take Top Honors at 2013 Writers Guild Awards
    By: Alicia Lutes February 17, 2013 11:35pm EST
    Before Hollywood's biggest stars deliver their acceptance speeches at Sunday's Academy Awards, the 2013 Writers Guild Awards have honored the folks who supply A-list actors and actresses with words. The 65th annual ceremony kicked off Sunday, celebrating the best and the brightest behind the scenes — and behind the pen — in television, film, and beyond in 2012.  But there were few surprises at the awards — Mark Boal picked up his second WGA win for Zero Dark Thirty (he won his first for Hurt Locker in 2010) while television's critical darlings, Breaking Bad and Louie proved to be victorious. Who else was a big winner at the WGA awards? See below to find out! MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Zero Dark Thirty, written by Mark Boal; Columbia Pictures ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Argo, screenplay by Chris Terrio; based on a selection from The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired magazine article “The Great Escape” by Joshuah Bearman; Warner Bros. Pictures DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY Searching for Sugar Man, written by Malik Bendejelloul; Sony Pictures Classics TELEVISION CATEGORIES DRAMA SERIES Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC COMEDY SERIES Louie, Written by Pamela Adlon, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K.; FX  NEW SERIES Girls, Written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling; HBO EPISODIC DRAMA Mad Men (AMC), Written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner, "The Other Woman" LONG FORM – ORIGINAL Hatfields & McCoys (History Channel), Teleplay by Ted Mann and Ronald Parker, Story by Bill Kerby and Ted Mann, Nights Two and Three LONG FORM – ADAPTED Game Change (HBO), Written by Danny Strong, Based on the book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann EPISODIC COMEDY Modern Family (ABC), Written By Elaine Ko; ABC, "Virgin Territory" COMEDY/VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) — SERIES Portlandia, Written by Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Krisel, Bill Oakley COMEDY/VARIETY — MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES — SPECIALS 66th Annual Tony Awards, Written by Dave Boone, Special Material by Paul Greenberg; Opening and Closing Songs by David Javerbaum, Adam Schlesinger; CBS CHILDREN'S – EPISODIC & SPECIALS Sesame Street (PBS), Written by Christine Ferraro, "The Good Sport" CHILDREN'S — LONG FORM OR SPECIAL "Girl vs. Monster," Story by Annie De Young; Teleplay by Annie De Young and Ron McGee; Disney Channel ANIMATION The Simpsons, Written by David Mandel & Brian Kelley; Fox, "Ned and Edna's Blend Agenda"  DAYTIME DRAMA The Young & the Restless, Written by Amanda Beall, Jeff Beldner, Brent Boyd, Susan Dansby, Janice Ferri Esser, Jay Gibson, Scott Hamner, Maria Kanelos, Natalie Minardi Slater, Beth Milstein, Michael Montgomery, Anne Schoettle, Linda Schreiber, Lisa Seidman, Sarah K. Smith, Christopher J. Whitesell, Teresa Zimmerman; CBS DOCUMENTARY — CURRENT EVENTS Frontline, Written by Martin Smith and Marcela Gaviria; PBS, "Money, Power and Wall Street: Episode One" DOCUMENTARY — OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS Nova, Written by Randall MacLowry; PBS, "The Fabric of the Cosmos: The Illusion of Time" NEWS — REGULALRY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT "Tragedy in Colorado: The Movie Theatre Massacre," Written by Lisa Ferri, Joel Siegel; ABC News RADIO CATEGORIES NEWS — REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR BREAKING REPORT "World News This Year 2011," Written by Darren Reynolds; ABC News Radio NEWS — ANALYSIS, FEATURE OR COMMENTARY "Dishin Digital," Written by Robert Hawley, WCBS-AM PROMOTIONAL WRITING AND GRAPHIC ANIMATION CATEGORIES ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION) "Partners," Written by Dan A. Greenberger, CBS TELEVISION GRAPHIC ANIMATION Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, Animation by Bob Pook; CBS, "The Oscars" NEW MEDIA AND VIDEOGAME CATEGORIES OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING DERIVATIVE NEW MEDIA The Walking Dead: Cold Storage, Written by John Esposito (amctv.com) – “Hide And Seek,” “Keys to the Kingdom,” “The Chosen Ones,” “Parting Shots” OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN WRITING ORIGINAL NEW MEDIA Jack In A Box, Written by Michael Cyril Creighton (jackinaboxsite.com) – “The Compromises, Episode 1,” “The Pest, Episode 3,” The Snake, Episode 4,” “The Bonding, Episode 6,” “The Future, Episode 7/Series Finale” OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VIDEOGAME WRITING Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, Scriptwriting by Richard Farrese, Jill Murray; Ubisoft  What do you think of this year's winners? Let us know in the comments! Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes.
  • 'Saturday Night Live' Recap: Alec Baldwin Joins Martin Short, Samuel L. Jackson Curses
    By: Kate Ward December 15, 2012 8:13pm EST
    UPDATE: Samuel L. Jackson denied dropping an f-bomb (but does admit to cursing) on Twitter: I only said FUH not FUCK!K was sposed to cut off da BULLSHIT, blew it!! twitter.com/SamuelLJackson… — Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) December 16, 2012 EARLIER: We're used to cheering like a Spartan whenever Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon or another recently departed Saturday Night Live alum returns to Studio 8H. But SNL fans found themselves disappointed when a former SNL legend returned to glory on the sketch comedy show's stage. Dana Carvey — also known as one of the main reasons (save Chris Farley) the early 1990s is still held up on an SNL pedestal — seemed a promising host for fans in 2011, but, sadly, the actor's revival of popular characters like Wayne's World's Wayne, Ross Perot, and Church Lady seemed more unoriginal than nostalgic. So, considering Carvey's stint, Martin Short's hosting gig Saturday seemed worrisome — would we be forced to sit through Ed Grimley and Jerry Lewis sketches years after we already grew sick of them watching best of SNL VHS tapes? As it turned out, absolutely not. Short proved to be a delightful host who was just as hilarious as he was current. We were subjected to a split second of Ed Grimley, but only during Short's jolly monologue, which brought us even more exciting SNL characters of seasons past. Well, rather, cast members — Fey, Fallon, Kristen Wiig (complete with Junice baby hand), and honorary cast member Tom Hanks (making his second SNL cameo this year) all joined in Short's Christmas-centric musical number, which marked the seventh this season. This week, however, the musical monologue was worth it — it's hard to say what sight was better: Abe Lincoln with a llama or Short planting a smooch on the predictably stoic Lorne Michaels. Still, each paled in comparison to Short's astute ad lib, "How does a man sit on a piano, I wonder?" The SNL cameos continued with "A Tony Bennett Christmas," headed up by Alec Baldwin's fan-favorite impression of the crooner. The sketch veered into ESPN Classic territory with its ad-shilling bathroom humor ("It's sure easy to get down in the dumps when you can't take one"), but, then again, anything that reminds us of Will Forte's Greg Stink picks us out of the dumps. But, following the sketch, we hardly said "Cheerio!" to bathroom humor. The next sketch — about a royal OBGYN being trained to treat the Duchess of Cambridge — mainly centered on euphemisms for female genitalia: "The King-Maker," "Thomas' English Muffin," and, of course, "Her Downton Abbey" among them. Anyone else in the role of the consultant tasked with prepping Bill Hader's OBGYN would have been groan-worthy, but Short even managed to make a dated Camilla Parker-Bowles funnier than the prospect of her Downton Abbey being guarded by a troll that asks you a riddle. Just ask Hader, who couldn't keep a straight face while Short revealed euphemisms for the anal cavity. (In case you were wondering, "The Church of Taint Andrews" is one.) More impressive, though, was Short's impeccable impression of Larry David as Linus in an adult-themed, star-studded Charlie Brown special, You're a Rat Bastard, Charlie Brown. Typically, Hader's impersonations steal SNL sketches, but his Al Pacino paled in comparison to Short's David. The actor even looked like the Curb Your Enthusiasm star. Other highlights included Taran Killam's Michael Keaton and Jason Sudeikis' Philip Seymour Hoffman — though I can't be the only one wishing Nasim Pedrad's celebrity impressions all didn't sound like Nasim Pedrad. Kristin Chenoweth deserves better — and no, this time around, I'm not talking about Jake Pavelka. Speaking of zingers, Seth Meyers' one-liners were the highlight of Weekend Update, attracting more laughs than Vanessa Bayer's adorably funny roasting Bar Mitzvah boy and Cecily Strong's ho-hum revival of Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party. Jokes about Jersey Shore's finale and criticism of Barbara Walters for asking Hillary Clinton about her hair over her policies were astute enough, but the funniest one-liner of the night was also the bluest: “An Ohio woman who gave birth to her daughter at 12:12 p.m. on 12-12-12 has named her 'Forever.'  Which I suspect is how long she’ll be a stripper.” Samuel L. Jackson, who made a cameo alongside SNL's stars in Short's monologue, returned to appear in Kenan Thompson's recurring — but long dormant — "What's Up With That?" sketch. The premise remains the same, and so does Sudeikis' jaunty tracksuit dancing — but this week, the sketch came with a NSFW twist. Pulling a Jenny Slate, Jackson dropped an f-bomb at the end of "What's Up With That?" and followed it up with a "bulls--t." "Come on now, that costs money," Thompson ad-libbed. Your move, FCC. SNL rounded out its episode with a sketch about two old friends (Fred Armisen and Short) with bizarre hobbies (acting for EMT training) and habits (eating 25 bagels a day) that was sorely lacking a Stefon, and a Christmas pageant audition sketch with Short and musical guest Paul McCartney that quickly turned into a Christmas-themed performance from the former Beatle. But while McCartney turned in two other lovely performances — including a reprise of his "Valentine" single — the rock legend was overshadowed by SNL's touching cold open, which featured the New York Childrens Chorus singing "Silent Night" as a quiet tribute to the Sandy Hook tragedy. The moment echoed Paul Simon's post-9/11 performance of "The Boxer" on the sketch comedy series, and proved, once again, SNL can be as heartfelt as it is funny. We might not be able to sleep in heavenly peace for some time, but dammit if SNL didn't help us try. [Image Credit: NBC] More: Saturday Night Live: Should Series Address Sandy Hook Tragedy? Saturday Night Live Recap: Fast Forwarding With Jamie Foxx Saturday Night Live Promo: Martin Short Keeps A Comedy Tradition Going
  • 'Girls,' 'Breaking Bad' Top Writers Guild of America 2013 TV Nominees
    By: Alicia Lutes December 06, 2012 11:16am EST
    The 2013 nominees for the Writers Guild of America awards have been announced. Writers, you say? Yes, writers! The people that make words dance on pages to create the worlds in which our favorite shows flourish. Some people, when confronted with a brilliant episode of television automatically assume the credit for its general goodness should go to the actors. But what about the writers? They are often just as (if not more so) likely to be the reason you laughed, cried, gasped, guffawed, or squirmed in your seat during last week's episode of your favorite show. These makers of televised scripts carry a good chunk of a show's success (and failure) on their shoulders, and leading the pack of successful witty wordsmiths? Lena Dunham and her HBO darling Girls. Overall, it seems as though cable dramas fared better than broadcast (which, duh), but on the flip-side, broadcast comedies outdid their cable brethren. Breaking Bad cleaned up in the episodic drama category, and comedy lady hero Amy Poehler got herself a nod for the episode of Parks and Recreation she penned, "The Debate." Check out the full list of nominees below! DRAMA SERIES Boardwalk Empire written by Dave Flebotte, Diane Frolov, Chris Haddock, Rolin Jones, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Andrew Schneider, David Stenn, Terence Winter; HBO Breaking Bad written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC Game of Thrones written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, George R. R. Martin, Vanessa Taylor, D.B. Weiss; HBO Homeland written by Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Meredith Stiehm; Showtime Mad Men written by Lisa Albert, Semi Chellas, Jason Grote, Jonathan Igla, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Brett Johnson, Janet Leahy, Victor Levin, Erin Levy, Frank Pierson, Michael Saltzman, Tom Smuts, Matthew Weiner; AMC COMEDY SERIES 30 Rock written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Vali Chandrasekaran, Luke Del Tredici, Tina Fey, Lauren Gurganous, Matt Hubbard, Colleen McGuinness, Sam Means, Dylan Morgan, Nina Pedrad, John Riggi, Josh Siegel, Ron Weiner, Tracey Wigfield; NBC Girls written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling; HBO Louie written by Pamela Adlon, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K.; FX Modern Family written by Cindy Chupack, Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Audra Sielaff, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC Parks and Recreation written by Megan Amram, Greg Daniels, Nate Dimeo, Katie Dippold, Daniel J. Goor, Norm Hiscock, Dave King, Greg Levine, Joe Mande, Aisha Muharrar, Nick Offerman, Chelsea Peretti, Amy Poehler, Alexandra Rushfield, Michael Schur, Mike Scully, Harris Wittels, Alan Yang; NBC NEW SERIES Girls written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling; HBO The Mindy Project written by Ike Barinholtz, Jeremy Bronson, Linwood Boomer, Adam Countee, Harper Dill, Mindy Kaling, Chris McKenna, B.J. Novak, David Stassen, Matt Warburton; Fox Nashville written by Wendy Calhoun, Jason George, David Gould, David Marshall Grant, Dee Johnson, Todd Ellis Kessler, Callie Khouri, Meredith Lavender, Nancy Miller, James Parriott, Liz Tigelaar, Marcie Ulin; ABC The Newsroom written by Brendan Fehily, David Handelman, Cinque Henderson, Paul Redford, Ian Reichbach, Amy Rice, Aaron Sorkin, Gideon Yago; HBO Veep written by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO EPISODIC DRAMA “Buyout” (Breaking Bad), written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC "Dead Freight” (Breaking Bad), written by George Mastras; AMC “Fifty-One” (Breaking Bad), written by Sam Catlin; AMC “New Car Smell” (Homeland), written by Meredith Stiehm; Showtime “The Other Woman” (Mad Men), written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner; AMC “Say My Name” (Breaking Bad), written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC EPISODIC COMEDY “The Debate” (Parks and Recreation), written by Amy Poehler; NBC “Episode 9” (Episodes), written by David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik; Showtime “Leap Day” (30 Rock), written by Luke Del Tredici; NBC “Little Bo Bleep” (Modern Family), written by Cindy Chupack; ABC “Mistery Date” (Modern Family), written by Jeffrey Richman; ABC “Virgin Territory” (Modern Family), written by Elaine Ko; ABC LONG FORM – ORIGINAL Hatfields and McCoys, Nights 2 and 3, teleplay by Ted Mann and Ronald Parker, Story by Bill Kerby and Ted Mann; History Channel Hemingway & Gelhorn written by Jerry Stahl and Barbara Turner; HBO Pilot (Political Animals), written by Greg Berlanti; USA LONG FORM – ADAPTED Coma, Nights 1 and 2, teleplay by John McLaughlin, based on the book by Robin Cook; A&E Game Change written by Danny Strong, based on the book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann; HBO ANIMATION “A Farewell to Arms” (Futurama), written by Josh Weinstein; Comedy Central “Forget-Me-Not” (Family Guy), written by David A. Goodman; Fox “Holidays of Future Passed” (The Simpsons), written by J. Stewart Burns; Fox “Ned and Edna’s Blend Agenda” (The Simpsons), written by Jeff Westbrook; Fox “Treehouse of Horror XXIII” (The Simpsons), written by David Mandel & Brian Kelley; Fox COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES The Colbert Report writers: Michael Brumm, Stephen Colbert, Rich Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Dan Guterman, Peter Gwinn, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Opus Moreschi, Tom Purcell, Meredith Scardino, Scott Sherman, Max Werner; Comedy Central Conan writers: Jose Arroyo, Andres du Bouchet, Deon Cole, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Michael Gordon, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin, Rob Kutner, Todd Levin, Brian McCann, Conan O'Brien, Matt O'Brien, Jesse Popp, Andy Richter, Brian Stack, Mike Sweeney; TBS The Daily Show With Jon Stewart writers: Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Richard Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Hallie Haglund, J.R. Havlan, Elliott Kalan, Dan McCoy, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Zhubin Parang, Daniel Radosh, Jason Ross, Jon Stewart; Comedy Central Jimmy Kimmel Live writers: Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Bess Kalb, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeff Loveness, Molly McNearney, Bryan Paulk, Danny Ricker, Rick Rosner; ABC Key & Peele writers: Jay Martel, Ian Roberts, Keegan Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Sean Conroy, Colton Dunn, Charlie Sanders, Alex Rubens, Rebecca Drysdale; Comedy Central Portlandia writers: Fred R. Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Krisel, Bill Oakley; IFC Real Time With Bill Maher writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Mike Larsen, Bill Maher, Billy Martin; HBO Saturday Night Live Head writer: Seth Meyers. Writers: James Anderson, Alex Baze, Neil Casey, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Shelly Gossman, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Zach Kanin, Chris Kelly, Joe Kelly, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Christine Nangle, Mike O’Brien, Josh Patten, Paula Pell, Marika Sawyer, Sarah Schneider, Pete Schultz, John Solomon, Kent Sublette, Bryan Tucker, Additional Sketch By Emily Spivey, Jorma Taccone, Additional Material By Frank Sebastiano; NBC Universal COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS 66th Annual Tony Awards written by Dave Boone; special material by Paul Greenberg; opening and closing songs by David Javerbaum, Adam Schlesinger; CBS 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards written by Billy Kimball, Wayne Federman; IFC After the Academy Awards Head writers Gary Greenberg, Molly McNearney. Writers Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeffrey Loveness, Bryan Paulk, Danny Ricker, Richard G. Rosner; ABC National Memorial Day Concert written by Joan Meyerson; PBS DAYTIME DRAMA Days of Our Lives written by Lorraine Broderick, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Christopher Dunn, Lacey Dyer, Janet Iacobuzio, David A. Levinson, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Melissa Salmons, Roger Schroeder, Elizabeth Snyder, Christopher J. Whitesell, Nancy Williams Watt; NBC One Life to Live written by Lorraine Broderick, Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, Daniel J. O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Jean Passanante, Melissa Salmons, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Courtney Simon, Chris Van Etten; ABC The Young and the Restless written by Amanda Beall, Jeff Beldner, Brent Boyd, Susan Dansby, Janice Ferri Esser, Jay Gibson, Scott Hamner, Maria Kanelos, Natalie Minardi Slater, Beth Milstein, Michael Montgomery, Anne Schoettle, Linda Schreiber, Lisa Seidman, Sarah K. Smith, Christopher J. Whitesell, Teresa Zimmerman; CBS CHILDREN'S – EPISODIC & SPECIALS “The Good Sport” (Sesame Street), written by Christine Ferraro; PBS CHILDREN’S – LONG FORM OR SPECIAL Girl vs. Monster story by Annie De Young; teleplay by Annie De Young and Ron McGee; Disney Channel Winners will be announced on February 17th at events in New York and Los Angeles. What do you think of this year's nominees? Let us know in the comments! [Photo Credit: Jojo Whilden/HBO] Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes More: Drum Roll Please: The Nominees for the 2013 Grammy Awards The Entire 'Freaks and Geeks' Cast Reunite — PHOTO Stephen Tobolowsky Out, B.J. Novak to Guest on 'The Mindy Project' From Our Partners: Kate Middleton Pregnant: A Look Back at Famous Royal Baby Portraits (PHOTOS) Pregnant Kate Middleton Leaves Hospital After Four-Day Stay
  • Anna Karenina Review
    By: Matt Patches November 13, 2012 10:20am EST
    Forget that the latest adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's sweeping romance novel comes from the man who brought us the slick-but-stuffy Pride and Prejudice and Atonement. Every frame of director Joe Wright's Anna Karenina is a wonder to behold overflowing with visual spectacle and roaring performances. Keira Knightley Jude Law Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the rest of the cast fit perfectly in the high drama epic but it's really Wright's playground. Following Hanna an artful spin on the action movie Wright returns to the period drama but injects it with dazzling daring choices. A book like Anna Karenina could once fit in reality but its larger-than-life legacy precedes it. Wright acknowledges that from frame one approaching the film like a grand ballet or opera where grand gestures broad emotions and overt theatrics are commonplace. That vision clicks transforming Anna Karenina into an exhilarating moviegoing experience. The storyline of Anna Karenina isn't far off from a daytime soap: It's 1874 and Anna (Knightley) is floating through existence as the wife of influential government player Karenin (Law). But when her brother Oblonsky (Matthew Macfadyen) summons her to Moscow to save his marriage Anna's entire world is shaken up. She meets Vronsky (Taylor-Johnson) a cavalry hunk who finds himself smitten with the taken lady. She's in the same boat: The two strike up a flirtatious relationship that evolves into one of sexual passion. A scandalous affair would incite trouble in the preset day but in the 19th century it's the ultimate crime. Quickly Anna's life comes crumbling down. The intertwining melodrama of Anna Karenina earned the novel its classic status but Wright uses the material as a launching pad for imagination rather than a tome to translate to screen. Many of the scenes are staged in a theater creating an instant awareness of the production. Sets shift and are reconstructed into new rooms; actors costume change in the span of single shots; action sequences like a thrilling horse race are conducted on stage with special effects you might see on Broadway. Wright works this sort of stylization in the other direction too; a character could walk an empty stage open a door and suddenly be on a snow-covered hill. Anna Karenina isn't the first film to use the effect but in Wright's hands it's exhilarating. The movie is Wright's third collaboration with Knightley and easily their most successful. Knightley never struggles to stay on the same page as the heightened material whether she's nailing a dance sequence or breaking down in a flood of tears. Casting an ensemble around Knightley is no easy task but Taylor-Johnson gives his best work yet as the debonair love interest and Macfadyen steals the show with moments of physical comedy. We have expectations of the texture and structure of period romances. Anna Karenina defies them. Masterpiece Theater it is not.
  • ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recap: Doctors With Benefits
    By: Kelly Schremph October 26, 2012 7:45am EST
    If Grey’s Anatomy is known for one thing, it’s drama. If it’s known for two things, it’s drama and sex. And this week the doctors of Seattle Grace were experiencing a little (or sometimes a lot) of both. Though the ramifications of May’s devastating plane crash still loom over our beloved surgeons, it no longer appears to be dominating their everyday lives. How can I tell? Well, the increase in everyone’s libido for starters. “I Saw Her Standing There” kicks off with almost everyone getting some seriously hot action: Derek and Meredith; Cristina and Parker (aka her boss); as well as April and Avery, who swear that this will be the last time they sleep together for real. But let’s hope that isn’t the case because I’m really starting to enjoy their pillow talk (“I’m going to get some coffee.” – Avery. “I’m going to go pray.” – April). Even Richard is trying to get in on some of this action now that Avery’s mother, Catherine, is in town for a consult. But not just any consult – one that involves a male patient with severely inflated testicles. Appropriate for this episode? I think so! Of course, Avery is none too happy about his mother’s continued canoodling with Dr. Webber (if you recall, he caught them in bed together right before taking his medical boards), but after an equally awkward man-to-man talk with the ex-chief, he at least seems to accept the relationship…even if he doesn’t necessarily approve. It’s just one of those situations no child ever wants to find themselves in the middle of, but since Avery is experiencing some sexual self control issues of his own (i.e. April), it was probably the right decision to make. Meanwhile in Minnesota, Cristina is trying her best to establish a life for herself outside of Seattle Grace hospital, which includes having sexual relations with her boss, Dr. Parker. (“Who says I have to like him? He’s my sex friend.”) However, Parker throws a huge scalpel wrench into the relationship when he confides in Cristina that the board is trying to force Dr. Thomas (aka Mr. Feeny) into early retirement because of his age and lack of modern day know-how. And worse yet, he’s trying to use Cristina as a spy to make it happen. But nobody puts Cristina’s new bestie in a corner. Having grown quite fond of Dr. Thomas, Cristina decides to take the aging physician under her wing and guide him into the new millennium. It’s an unexpected friendship, but one that is absolutely adorable to witness. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’m really starting to like Minnesota Cristina. Next: Tumors, trailers, and prosthetic legs. Oh my!Meredith gets assigned a patient with a complex tumor that seems almost impossible to remove. She’s excited for the challenging case, but is afraid to talk about it in front Derek, who’s now teaching surgical procedures to interns rather than performing them himself. But while it’s a hard adjustment for anyone to have to make, he seems to be handling the whole thing extremely well and assures Meredith that he still wants to hear all about her exciting surgeries. Oh McDreamy, you still know how to make us swoon. In other news, Arizona is in the process of getting fitted for a prosthetic leg, but seems less than thrilled about it (surprise, surprise). Granted, she has a right to be massively PO-ed about what happened to her. It’s not fair and it sucks, but seeing her take out all of her frustration on Callie week after week is absolutely heart-breaking. She even drives her prosthetist, David, away with her ice-cold demeanor. Luckily, Karev stops by and tells her how much he wants her to return to the hospital. "I’m trying,” she replies. He also reminds her to go easy on Callie – she’s trying too. And Karev’s little talk seems to work. We even get a glimpse of our very first Arizona smile of the season as she determinedly stands on her new leg. Sure, it was more of a grimace than a full-on smile, but still – progress! We may get our peppy peds doctor back yet. Also in random and rather depressing news, Owen continues to miss Cristina and is now living in Derek’s old trailer out in the woods. So there’s that. What did you think of last night’s episode? Were you happy for a break from all the intense drama? Do you think Arizona will ever get back to her old self? Are you loving Cristina’s relationship with Mr. Feeny? Give me your dissections of the episode in the comments below! Follow Kelly on Twitter @KellyBean0415 More: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recap: To Settle or Not to Settle ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recap: We Have to Go Back! ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recap: The Plane Crash Claims Another From Our Partners: Jon Hamm Goes Shirtless With Bikini-Clad Jessica Paré (Celebuzz) Kardashians Share Scary-Cute Childhood Halloween Pics (Celebuzz)
  • The Amazing Spider-Man Review
    By: Matt Patches June 27, 2012 12:25pm EST
    The Amazing Spider-Man would prefer if you didn't call it the fourth Spider-Man movie. See this ain't the Spider-Man your older brother knew from ten years ago — it's a reboot. The latest adventure to feature the comic book webslinger throws three movies worth of established mythology straight out the window swapping the original cast with an ensemble of fresh faces and resetting the franchise with a spiffy new origin story. "New" in the loosest sense of the word — the highlights of ASM mainly a sleek new design and spunky reinterpretation of Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and gal pal Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) are weighed down by overpowering sense of familiarity. Nearly a beat for beat replica of the 2002 original with some irksome twists of mystery thrown in Amazing Spider-Man fails to evolve its hero or his quarrels. The film has a great sense of cinematic power but little responsibility in making it interesting. We're first introduced to Peter Parker as a young boy watching as his parents rush out of the house in response to a hidden danger. Mr. and Mrs. Parker leave their son in the care of his Aunt May (Sally Fields) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) who raise him into Andrew Garfield's geeky cool spin on the character. Parker's a science whiz but faces the challenges of every day life — passing classes talking to girls the occasional jock with aggression issues — but all of life's woes are put on hold when the teen discovers a new clue in the mystery behind his parents' disappearance. The discovery of his dad's old briefcase and notes leads Peter to Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) a scientist working for mega-conglomerate Oscorp and his Dad's old partner. When they cross paths Connors instantly takes a liking to the wunderkind and loops him into the work he started with his father: replicating the regeneration abilities of lizards in amputee humans (Connors is driven to reform his own missing arm). But when Parker wanders into Oscorp's room full of spiders (a sloppily explained this-needs-to-be-here-for-this-to-happen device) he receives his legendary spider bite that transforms him into the hero we know. Director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) desperately wants Amazing Spider-Man to work as a high school relationship movie but with the burden of massive amounts of plot and mythology to introduce the movie sags under the sheer volume of stuff. Stone turns Parker's object of affection Gwen Stacey into a three-dimensional character. Whenever they happen upon each other an awkward exchange in the hallway a flirtatious back-and-forth in the Oscorp lab (where Stacey is head…intern) or when the two finally begin a romantic relationship the two stars shine. They're vivid characters chopped to bits in the editing room diluted by boring franchise-building plot threads and routine action sequences. Seriously Amazing Spider-Man another mad scientist villain who uses himself as a test subject only to become a monster? And another bridge rescue scene? Amazing Spider-Man desperately wants to disconnect from the original trilogy but it's trapped in an inescapable shadow and does nothing radical to shake things up. Instead it settles for the same old same old while preparing for inevitable sequels instead of investing in its dynamic duo. There's a sweet spot where the film really hits his stride. After discovering his spider-abilities Peter hits the streets for the first time. He's superhuman but still a headstrong teen full of obnoxious quips and close calls with shiv-wielding thugs. The action is slick small and playful Webb showing us something new by melding his indie sensibilities with big scale action. If only it lasted — the introduction of Ifans reptilian half The Lizard implodes Amazing Spider-Man into incomprehensible blockbuster chaos. A gargantuan beast wreaking havoc around New York City promises King Kong-like escapades for the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man but the lizard man has other plans: to rule the world! Or something. Whatever it takes to get Lizard and Spider-Man fighting on the top of a skyscraper over a doomsday machine — logic be damned. Amazing Spider-Man peppers its banal foundation with great talent from Denis Leary as Gwen's wickedly funny dad and the police captain hunting down Spider-Man to Fields and Sheen as two loving adults in Peter's life to Garfield and Stone whose chemistry demands a follow-up for the sake of seeing them reunited. But it's all at the cost of putting on the most expensive recreation of all time with new demands imposed by the success Marvel's other properties (except that franchise teasing worked). Amazing Spider-Man introduces too many ideas that go nowhere undermining the actual threat at hand. No one wants to be unfulfilled but that's the overriding difference between the original movie and the update. You need to pay for the sequel to know what the heck is going on in this one. ="font-style:>
  • Battleship Review
    By: Matt Patches May 16, 2012 9:32am EST
    Less Transformers more Act of Valor director Peter Berg's Battleship is a bombastic idiotic and ear canal-shattering love letter to the Navy slathered with a summer blockbuster sugarcoating that sufficiently masks any glimmer of heart. Following suit with their previous adaptation Transformers toy company Hasbro has transformed their popular board game into a sci-fi action movie as stiff and lifeless as the plastic pieces used to play. The saving grace is Berg's fondness for the ridiculous injecting Top Gun-level machismo into his tale of aliens vs. boats. Silliness is cinematic buoyancy for a movie as lazy as Battleship. Continually finding himself in trouble's way roughneck Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch of TV's Friday Night Lights and John Carter) enlists in the U.S. Navy alongside his boy scout brother Stone (Alexander Skarsgård) and under the supervision of his lady friend Sam's (Brooklyn Decker) overbearing father Admiral Shane (Liam Neeson). Alex works his way up the chain of command quickly earning the rank of Lieutenant just in time for the annual competitive skirmish with the Japanese Navy. It's all fun and games until — per usual — aliens drop down from the stars and wreak havoc on Hawaii. With most of the fleet trapped on the outskirts thanks to a ship-proof forcefield Alex is forced to command his own ship and take down the intergalactic adversaries with old school style. Discombobulated radar in alien waters means Alex and his team are shooting blind — will B11 be a hit or a miss? Kitsch spends most of his time rubbing shoulders with Petty Officer 'Weps' (Rihanna) and the rest of his diligent crew whipping up ways to defeat the alien forces who only go on the offensive when attacked. That's just the beginning of the storytelling's illogic moment after moment favoring Michael Bay-inspired mayhem and tensionless spats of screaming aboard the ship's bridge over coherency. There's an Independence Day-inspired moment where an alien creature palms Kitsch's face unleashing imagery of their devastated home planet to his mind. Maybe? That never comes back and an explanation of why the aliens are here why we're fighting them or if they're really that bad at all never comes into play. Kitsch and his men just know the world's under attack and we have to blow the opposition to smithereens. Ensuring attentive brains are never too focused the perspective in Battleship is ever-shifting jumping from Alex's Destroyer to Sam and her paraplegic rehab patient Lieutenant Colonel Mick Canales together on the run from alien ground troops. Around Battleship's halfway point when the duo partners with a twitchy scientist (Hamish Linklater) and Mick rises above his disability to beat the living daylights out of an extraterrestrial is when Berg throws his hands in the air stops caring and pulls out all the stops. Giant alien roller balls that rip up everything in their path? Check. Bouncing space ships that can only be combated using water displacement theory? Check. Navy vets returning for one…last…job? Check check. Before the finale of this 131 minute monstrosity Kitsch and his Japanese counterpart Yugi Nagata (Tadanobu Asano) sit down to play an actual game of Battleship. Sure it's with actual missiles but there's a grid there's a target and there's shouting out of corresponding numbers. For those worried about board game fan service it's there (but don't sit around waiting for the infamous tagline). Unlike his turn in John Carter Kitsch is perfectly suited for the bro atmosphere of Battleship where every moment of drama begs for hammy delivery and crazy eyes. Decker too is an asset to the overly epic blockbuster — a step up from the reductive arm candy roles of the Transformers movies. Everyone else is barely a blip on the radar; Neeson is deprived of a single badass moment while Rihanna proves she can memorize and playback scripted lines as well as pop song lyrics. Berg has control of his action in a way that's more enjoyable than the previous Transformers films but it still plays like a tired clone. The initial two-thirds of Battleship that takes itself too seriously is exhausting. The final barrage is pure lunacy. Whether you can stay afloat for that long is the true test of heroism. ="font-style:>
  • Adele Sweeps the 2012 Grammys: Full Winners List
    By: Michael Arbeiter February 13, 2012 5:18am EST
    Last night, viewers were treated to a particularly emotional Grammy Awards. Naturally, the tributes to the deceased Whitney Houston were some of the most moving moments of the night, and in recent television. But many rising artists had a lot to celebrate; particularly, Adele, who swept the awards with four major wins. Check below for a complete list of winners from the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, and for a recap, hop over to our Seven Things You Need to Know About the 2012 Grammys list. Album of the Year 21 by Adele Record of the Year "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele Best New Artist Bon Iver Best Country Album Own the Night by Lady Antebellum Song of the Year “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele) Best R&B Album F.A.M.E. by Chris Brown Best Rock Performance “Walk” by Foo Fighters Best Rap Performance “Otis” by Jay-Z and Kayne West Best Pop Solo Performance “Someone Like You” by Adele Best Pop Duo/Group Performance “Body and Soul” by Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse Best Pop Instrumental Album The Road from Memphis by Booker T. Jones Best Pop Vocal Album 21 by Adele Best Dance Recording “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” by Skrillex Best Dance/Electronica Album “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” by Skrillex Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Duets II by Tony Bennett & Various Artists Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance “White Limo” by Foo Fighters Best Rock Song “Walk” by Foo Fighters Best Rock Album Wasting Light by Foo Fighters Best Alternative Music Album Bon Iver by Bon Iver Best R&B Performance “Is This Love” by Corinne Bailey Rae Best Traditional R&B Performance “Fool For You” by Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona Best R&B Song “Fool For You” by Cee Lo Green, Melanie Hallim, Jack Splash Best Rap/Sung Collaboration “All Of The Lights” by Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie Best Rap Song “All Of the Lights” by Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West Best Rap Album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West Best Country Solo Performance “Mean” by Taylor Swift Best Country Duo/Group Performance “Barton Hollow” by The Civil Wars Best Country Song “Mean” by Taylor Swift Best New Age Album What’s It All About by Pat Metheny Best Improvised Jazz Solo “500 Miles High” by Chick Corea Best Jazz Vocal Album The Mosaic Project by Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists Best Jazz Instrumental Album Forever by Corea, Clarke & White Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album The Good Feeling by Christian McBride Big Band Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music “Jesus” by Le’Andria Johnson Best Gospel Song “Hello Fear” by Kirk Franklin Best Contemporary Christian Music Song “Blessings” by Laura Story Best Gospel Album Hello Fear by Kirk Franklin Best Contemporary Christian Music Album And If Our God Is For Us… by Chris Tomlin Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album Drama Y Luz by Maná Best Regional Mexian Or Tejano Album Bicentenario by Pepe Aguilar Best Banda Or Norteno Album Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends by Los Tigres Del Norte Best Tropical Latin Album The Last Mambo by Cachao Best Americana Album Ramble At the Ryman by Levon Helm Best Bluegrass Album Paper Airplane by Alison Krauss & Union Station Best Blues Album Revelator by Tedeschi Trucks Band Best Folk Album Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars Best Regional Roots Music Album Rebirth of New Orleans by Rebirth Brass Band Best Raggae Album Revelation Pt 1: The Root Of Life by Stephen Marley Best World Music Album Tassili by Tinariwen Best Children’s Album All About Bullies… Big And Small Best Spoken Word Album If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won’t) by Betty White Best Comedy Album Hilarious by Louis C.K. Best Musical Theater Album The Book of Mormon: Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells; Anne Garefino, Robert Lopez, Stephen Oremus, Trey Parker, Scott Rudin & Matt Stone (producers); Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone (composers/lyricists) Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media Boardwalk Empire: Volume 1: Various Artists Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media The King’s Speech by Alexandre Desplat Best Song Written For Visual Media “I See The Light (From Tangled)” by Alan Menken & Glenn Slater, songwriters (Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi) Best Instrumental Composition "Live In Eleven” by Béla Fleck & Howard Levy, composers (Béla Fleck & The Flecktones) Best Instrumental Arrangement “Rhapsody In Blue” by Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band) Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” by Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (Tony Bennett & Queen Latifah) Best Recording Package Scenes From the Suburbs, Caroline Robert, art director (Arcade Fire) Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge of Town Story by Dave Bett & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen) Best Album Notes Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By the San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s, Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists) Best Historical Album Band On the Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection — Deluxe Edition), Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Sam Okell & Steve Rooke, mastering engineers (Paul McCartney & Wings) Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Paper Airplane, Neal Cappellino & Mike Shipley, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station) Producer Of the Year, Non-Classical Paul Epworth Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical “Cinema (Skrillex Remix)” by Sonny Moore, remixer (Benny Benassi) Best Surround Sound Album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition), Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos) Best Engineered Album, Classical Aldridge: Elmer Gantry, Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra) Producer Of the Year, Classical Judith Sherman Best Orchestral Performance “Brahms: Symphony No. 4” by Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic) Best Opera Recording “Adams: Doctor Atomic” by Alan Gilbert, conductor; Meredith Arwady, Sasha Cooke, Richard Paul Fink, Gerald Finley, Thomas Glenn & Eric Owens; Jay David Saks, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus) Best Choral Performance “Light & Gold” by Eric Whitacre, conductor (Christopher Glynn & Hila Plitmann; The King’s Singers, Laudibus, Pavão Quartet & The Eric Whitacre Singers) Best Small Ensemble Performance “Mackey: Lonely Motel — Music From Slide” by Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird Best Classical Instrument Solo “Schwantner: Concerto For Percussion & Orchestra” by Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Christopher Lamb (Nashville Symphony) Best Classical Vocal Solo “Diva Divo” by Joyce DiDonato (Kazushi Ono; Orchestre De L’Opéra National De Lyon; Choeur De L’Opéra National De Lyon) Best Contemporary Classical Composition “Aldridge, Robert: Elmer Gantry” by Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein Best Short Form Music Video “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele; Sam Brown, video director; Hannah Chandler, video producer Best Long Form Music Video “Foo Fighters: Back And Forth” by Foo Fighters; James Moll, video director; James Moll & Nigel Sinclair, video producers Grammy Trustees Award Dave Bartholomew, Steve Jobs, and Rudy Van Gelder Source: EW
  • SXSW 2012: '21 Jump Street,' 'Cabin in the Woods' Lead the Fest's Full Slate
    By: Matt Patches February 01, 2012 9:59am EST
    If Sundance is the studious valedictorian of film festivals, than South by Southwest is the party animal younger broth—who's just as smart (if not more) as his stuffy sibling. Held in Austin, Texas every March, SXSW is a rootin' tootin' celebration of cinema, hosting big Hollywood premieres, the best of the best from Sundance and plenty of off-beat indies primed and ready for discovery. Some of the year's best films premiere at the festival—need I remind you of Kill List—and most make their way to release, making SXSW a festival to keep your eye on. The line-up for this year's fest has been officially release, and sports highly anticipated movies like Jonah Hill's 21 Jump Street and Cabin in the Woods, the long-awaited meta-horror from Lost/Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard and producer Joss Whedon, the premiere of Judd Apatow's new TV show Girls (written and starring Lena Dunham) and new projects from acclaimed directors like William Friedkin (The Exorcist), Kevin McDonald (Last King of Scotland), Will Ferrell, Jay Chandrasekhar of Broken Lizard and the Duplass Brothers (Cyrus). Check out the films below and let us know which ones you want to hear more about! HEADLINERS Big names, big talent:  Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with some major and rising names in cinema.             Films screening in Headliners are: 21 Jump Street Directed by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, Screenplay by: Michael Bacall, Story by: Michael Bacall & Jonah Hill Police officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) get sent back to high school as undercover cops in the action-comedy 21 Jump Street. Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, with Ice Cube (World Premiere) BIG EASY EXPRESS Director: Emmett Malloy Emmett Malloy’s latest film invites us aboard a train ride unlike any other with Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. (World Premiere) The Cabin in the Woods Director: Drew Goddard, Screenwriters: Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen. If you think you know this story, think again.  From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes The Cabin in the Woods, a mind-blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out. Cast: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Anna Hutchison, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford (World Premiere) Decoding Deepak Director: Gotham Chopra Filmmaker Gotham Chopra spends a year on the road decoding his father and spiritual icon Deepak Chopra. (World Premiere) Girls Director/Screenwriter: Lena Dunham Created by and starring Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), the HBO show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver (World Premiere) The Hunter (Australia) Director: Daniel Nettheim, Screenplay by: Alice Addison, Novel by: Julia Leigh, Original Adaptation by: Wain Fimeri A mercenary is dispatched from Europe to the Tasmanian wilderness by a mysterious biotech company to search for the last surviving Tasmanian tiger. Cast: Willem Dafoe, Frances O'Connor, Sam Neill (U.S. Premiere) Killer Joe Director: William Friedkin, Screenwriter: Tracy Letts A garish, Southwestern tale - a violent black comedy about a desperate Texas debtor (Hirsch) who plots to kill his mother with help of his family (Haden Church, Gershon).  They hire a crazy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer (McConaughey) to do the job, but Killer Joe asks for their teenage daughter (Temple) as a retainer. The film is based on Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts' (August: Osage County) award winning play. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Gina Gershon, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church (U.S. Premiere) MARLEY (UK / USA) Director: Kevin Macdonald The definitive life story of Bob Marley - musician, revolutionary, legend - from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. Directed by Academy-Award-Winner Kevin Macdonald. (North American Premiere) NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are: Booster Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted. Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail (World Premiere) Eden Director: Megan Griffiths, Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips, Megan Griffiths, Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong Kim A young Korean-American girl, abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers, joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive. Cast: Jamie Chung, Matt O'Leary, Beau Bridges, Jeanine Monterroza, Scott Mechlowicz (World Premiere) Gayby Director/Screenwriter: Jonathan Lisecki Jenn and Matt, best friends since college who are now in their thirties, decide to have a child together, the old-fashioned way - even though Matt is gay and Jenn is straight. Cast: Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas, Mike Doyle, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Jack Ferver (World Premiere) Gimme the Loot Director/Screenwriter: Adam Leon When Malcolm and Sofia’s latest graffiti masterpiece is buffed by a rival gang, these two determined Bronx teens must hustle, steal, and scheme to get spectacular revenge and become the biggest writers in the City. Cast: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson, Meeko, Zoe Lescaze, Sam Soghor (World Premiere) Los Chidos (Germany / Mexico / USA) Director/Screenwriter: Omar Rodriguez Lopez The Gonzales family tries hard to hold on to their beautiful Latino traditions of misogyny and homophobia when a tall, white, industrialist stranger appears, challenging their place in the exploitative food chain. Cast: Kim Stodel, María De Jesús Canales Ramírez, Manuel Ramos, Cecillia Gutiérrez, (World Premiere) Pilgrim Song Director: Martha Stephens, Screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Karrie Crouse A pink-slipped music teacher ponders his stalled relationship and place in the world during an arduous trek across Kentucky’s Sheltowee Trace Trail. Cast: Timothy Morton, Bryan Marshall, Karrie Crouse, Harrison Cole, Michael Abbott Jr. (World Premiere) Starlet Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch The film explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and 85 year-old Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley. Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian (World Premiere) The Taiwan Oyster Director: Mark Jarrett, Screenwriters: Mark Jarrett, Jordan Heimer, Mitchell Jarrett Two Ex-Pat Kindergarten teachers in Taiwan embark on a quixotic odyssey to bury a fellow countryman. Cast: Billy Harvey, Jeff Palmiotti, Leonora Lim (World Premiere)NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Narrative Spotlight are: The Babymakers Director: Jay Chandrasekhar, Screenwriters: Peter Gaulke, Gerry Swallow Unable to impregnate his wife, Tommy and friends rob a sperm bank - to get Tommy's long-ago donated sperm back. The crazy plan goes hilariously awry and shows how far a couple will go to create a new life.   Cast: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn, Kevin Heffernan, Wood Harris, Nat Faxon (World Premiere) Crazy Eyes Director: Adam Sherman, Screenwriters: Adam Sherman, Dave Reeves & Rachel Hardisty Just another story about love. Cast: Lukas Haas, Madeline Zima, Jake Busey, Tania Raymonde, Regine Nehy (World Premiere) Do-Deca-Pentathalon Director/Screenwriter: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass Two brothers compete in their own private 25-event Olympics. Cast: Mark Kelly, Steve Zissis, Elton LeBlanc (World Premiere) Fat Kid Rules The World Director: Matthew Lillard, Screenwriters: Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman Troy, a depressed overweight teenager, gets sucked into the punk rock world by Marcus, a charming street musician. But when Troy discovers Marcus’ drug addiction, he suddenly must figure out the true boundaries of friendship. Cast: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O'Leary, Billy Campbell, Lilli Simmons, Dylan Arnold (World Premiere) frankie go boom Director/Screenwriter: Jordan Roberts a flick by bruce about his little brother frank who's a crybaby fuck who shouldn't do lame-ass embarrassing shit if he dozn't want people 2 see it Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O'Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth (World Premiere) Hunky Dory (UK) Director: Marc Evans, Screenwriter: Laurence Coriat From the producer of Billy Elliot comes this funny, coming of age film featuring songs from artists such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dusty Springfield and Electric Light Orchestra. Cast: Minnie Driver, Aneurin Barnard, Danielle Branch, Robert Pugh, Haydn Gwynne (North American Premiere) In Our Nature Director/Screenwriter: Brian Savelson Taking place over a single weekend, an estranged father and son accidentally end up in the same country house with their two girlfriends. Cast: Zach Gilford, Jena Malone, John Slattery, Gabrielle Union (World Premiere) Keyhole (Canada) Director: Guy Maddin, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, George Toles I'm only a ghost... but a ghost isn't nothing. Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Jason Patric, Udo Kier, Kevin McDonald, Tattiawna Jones (U.S. Premiere) See Girl Run Director/Screenwriter: Nate Meyer What happens when a 30-something woman allows life's "what ifs" to overwhelm her appreciation for what life actually is. Disregarding her current obligations, she digs into her romantic past in hopes of invigorating her present. Cast: Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong, William Sadler, Josh Hamilton (World Premiere) Small Apartments Director: Jonas Åkerlund, Screenwriter: Chris Millis When Franklin Franklin accidentally kills his landlord, he must hide the body; but, the wisdom of his beloved brother and the quirks of his neighbors, force him on a journey where a fortune awaits him. Cast: Matt Lucas, Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple (World Premiere) Somebody Up There Likes Me Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington Time flies for everyone:  Thirty-five years in the life of Max, his best friend Sal, and a woman they both adore.  A deadpan fable about time sneaking up on and swerving right around us. Cast: Keith Poulson, Nick Offerman, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 845 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are: Bay of All Saints Director: Annie Eastman As the last of the notorious water slums is demolished in Bahia, Brazil, will three single mothers face homelessness or rally for a better life? (World Premiere) Beware of Mr. Baker Director: Jay Bulger Ginger Baker is the original rock ‘n roll madman junkie drummer superstar who everyone thought was dead but somehow survived 50+ years of heroin abuse, disastrous experiments and 5 marriages on 4 continents. (World Premiere) The Central Park Effect Director: Jeffrey Kimball The film reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds who grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green, and the equally colorful, full-of-attitude New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration. (World Premiere) Jeff Director: Chris James Thompson A documentary about the people around Jeffrey Dahmer during the 1991 summer of his arrest for the murder of 17 people in Milwaukee. (World Premiere) Seeking Asian Female Director: Debbie Lum When an American man with "yellow fever" meets a Chinese woman half his age online, documenting their attempt to build a marriage from scratch reveals hilarious and troubling complications for the couple and the filmmaker. (World Premiere) The Sheik and I Director: Caveh Zahedi Commissioned by a Middle Eastern Biennial to make a film on the theme of "art as a subversive act," independent filmmaker Caveh Zahedi (I am a Sex Addict) is threatened with a fatwa. (World Premiere) The Source Directors: Jodi Wille, Maria Demopoulos The Source Family was a radical experiment in '70s utopian living. Their popular restaurant, rock band, and beautiful women made them the darlings of Hollywood; but their outsider ideals led to their dramatic undoing. (World Premiere) Welcome To The Machine Director: Avi Zev Weider Upon fathering triplets, filmmaker Avi Zev Weider explores the nature of technology, seeking answers about what it means to be human. (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Documentary Spotlight are: $ELLEBRITY Director: Kevin Mazur Renowned celebrity photographer, Kevin Mazur, gives us an all access pass to the life behind the velvet rope and in front of the camera.  Candid, revealing and bold interviews with Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and more, take us inside the blurred lines of privacy, pliable journalism, celebrity, fame and what it feels like to be consumed. (World Premiere) America's Parking Lot Director: Jonny Mars Pull up a front row seat as two die-hard fans of 'America's Team' spend their last season with the Dallas Cowboys at historic Texas Stadium, and scramble to preserve their place in America’s Parking Lot. (World Premiere) The Announcement Director: Nelson George On Thursday, November 7, 1991, Earvin “Magic” Johnson made the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. The Announcement gets to the core of Magic’s incredible personal journey. (World Premiere) Beauty Is Embarrassing Director: Neil Berkeley A funny, irreverent and inspirational look into the life and times of one of America's most important artists, Wayne White. (World Premiere) Brooklyn Castle Director: Katie Dellamaggiore Amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school’s champion chess team. (World Premiere) Code of the West Director: Rebecca Richman Cohen Frames a high stakes showdown in the halls of the Montana State Legislature.  The future of medical marijuana is at stake. (World Premiere) Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes Director: M. Slinger A true document of the art and culture of glass pipe-making. It is the first film to ever bring to light this invisible sub-culture in a comprehensive and well-informed format. (World Premiere) Girl Model Directors: A. Sabin, David Redmon Young Russian girls join a modeling agency to seek work in Japan, but get caught up in an unregulated system that reveals an unseemly side of the fashion industry. (U.S. Premiere) Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters Director: Ben Shapiro Acclaimed photographer Gregory Crewdson’s 10-year quest to create a series of haunting, surreal, and stunningly elaborate portraits of small-town American life — filmed with unprecedented access as he makes perfect renderings of a disturbing, imperfect world. (World Premiere) Just Like Being There Director: Scout Shannon Through the eyes of Daniel Danger, Jay Ryan, and the gig poster community, Just Like Being There focuses on poster artists, the music they commemorate, MONDO film posters, fans, bloggers, galleries, collectors and everything in between. (World Premiere) Scarlet Road (Australia) Director: Catherine Scott The film follows the extraordinary work of Australian sex worker, Rachel Wotton. Impassioned about freedom of sexual expression and the rights of sex workers, she specializes in a long over-looked clientele - people with disability. (North American Premiere) Trash Dance Director: Andrew Garrison A choreographer finds beauty and grace in garbage trucks, and against the odds, rallies reluctant city trash collectors to perform an extraordinary dance spectacle. On an abandoned airport runway, two dozen sanitation workers -- and their trucks -- inspire an audience of thousands. (World Premiere) Waiting For Lightning Director: Jacob Rosenberg From the producers of Step into Liquid, comes the story of visionary skateboarder Danny Way, who jumped China’s Great Wall and created a new movement in sport. (World Premiere) Wikileaks: Secrets & Lies (UK) Director: Patrick Forbes The in-depth story of Wikileaks told by all the key players. Sulphurous, personal and moving, it documents history in the making at the lawless frontier of new technology and mainstream media. (North American Premiere) WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan This documentary examines the fascinating evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman and introduces audiences to a dynamic group of real life superheroes who continue to fight the good fight both on and off the screen. (World Premiere) EMERGING VISIONS Audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape that demonstrate raw innovation and creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking. Films screening in Emerging Visions are: Black Pond (UK) Directors: Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe, Screenwriter: Will Sharpe An ordinary family is accused of murder when a stranger dies at their dinner table. Stars BAFTA-winner Chris Langham and British Comedy Award Winner Simon Amstell. Cast: Chris Langham, Simon Amstell, Amanda Hadingue, Colin Hurley, Will Sharpe (North American Premiere) Dollhouse (Ireland) Director/Screenwriter: Kirsten Sheridan Five street teens break into a house in a rich Dublin suburb for a night of partying. But games are twisted into something more emotional and ultimately out of control through a series of surprising revelations. Cast: Seana Kerslake, Johnny Ward, Kate Stanley Brennan, Shane Curry, Ciaran McCabe (North American Premiere) Eating Alabama Director: Andrew Beck Grace A quest to eat locally becomes a meditation on community, the South and sustainability. Eating Alabama is a story about why food matters. (World Premiere) Electrick Children Director/Screenwriter: Rebecca Thomas Rachel, a 15-year-old fundamentalist Mormon, believes she's had an immaculate conception by listening to rock and roll. She flees to Las Vegas to escape an arranged marriage, seeking answers to her mysterious pregnancy. Cast: Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, Liam Aiken, Billy Zane (North American Premiere) Extracted Director/Screenwriter: Nir Paniry A scientist is trapped in the memories of a criminal and must solve a crime in order to get back home to his family. Cast: Sasha Roiz, Dominic Bogart, Jenny Mollen, Nick Jameson, Brad Culver (World Premiere) Francine (Canada / USA) Director/Screenwriter: Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatzky Academy-Award-winner, Melissa Leo, plays Francine, a woman struggling to find her place in a downtrodden lakeside town after leaving behind a life in prison. Cast: Melissa Leo, Keith Leonard, Victoria Charkut (North American Premiere) Funeral Kings Director/Screenwriter: Kevin Mcmanus, Matthew Mcmanus For three 14-year-old boys at St. Mark's Middle School, it's always a good day for a funeral. Cast: Dylan Hartigan, Alex Maizus, Jordan Puzzo, Charles Odei, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere) Hard Labor (Brazil) Director/Screenwriter: Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra Helena prepares to open her own business: a neighborhood grocery store. She hires a maid. But when her husband Octavio is suddenly fired from his job, Helena is left to support the family alone. Cast: Helena Albergaria, Marat Descartes, Naloana Lima, Marina Flores (U.S. Premiere) La Camioneta - The Journey of One American School Bus Director: Mark Kendall On a 3,000-mile adventure across the borders between the Americas, La Camioneta follows the journey of one out-of-service American school bus as it is repaired, repainted and resurrected into a Guatemalan camioneta. (World Premiere) The Last Fall Director/Screenwriter: Matthew A. Cherry An NFL journeyman struggles to deal with life's complexities after his professional career is over at age 25. Cast: Lance Gross, Nicole Beharie, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Harry Lennix, Keith David (World Premiere) Leave Me Like You Found Me Director/Screenwriter: Adele Romanski Big trees, broken hearts. The story of a lovesick couple’s breakup & makeup while camping in the wilds of California. Cast: Megan Boone, David Nordstrom (World Premiere) PAVILION Director/Screenwriter: Tim Sutton Max, a quietly troubled 15-year-old, leaves his lakeside town to live with his father on the sun-blasted fringe of suburban Arizona.  What begins in a calm and lush environment ends in a drastic, frayed confusion. Cast: Max Schaffner, Zach Cali, Cody Hamric, Addie Barlett, Aaron Buyea (World Premiere) Sun Don't Shine Director/Screenwriter: Amy Seimetz Two lovers, on the back roads of Florida, do very bad things. Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Kentucker Audley, AJ Bowen, Kit Gwinn, Mark Reeb (World Premiere) Sunset Stories Directors: Silas Howard, Ernesto Foronda, Screenwriter: Valerie Stadler When May returns to LA and runs smack into JP, the man she left behind, past and present collide sending them on a twenty-four hour journey in search of what they lost. Cast: Monique Curnen, Sung Kang, Joshua Leonard, Mousa Kraish, Michelle Krusiec (World Premiere) Tchoupitoulas Director: Bill Ross, Turner Ross Three young brothers' immersive journey into the sensory wonders of the New Orleans night. (World Premiere) Thale (Norway) Director/Screenwriter: Aleksander L. Nordaas The film revolves around huldra, a mythical, tailed creature, found by two crime scene cleaners in a concealed cellar.  Someone’s been keeping her down here for decades, for reasons soon to surface. Cast: Silje Reinåmo, Jon Sigve Skard, Erlend Nervold, Morten Andresen (North American Premiere) Wildness Director/Screenwriter: Wu Tsang A magical-realist portrait of the Silver Platter, a historic bar in Los Angeles that provides a safe space for Latin/LGBT immigrant and queer art communities to come together in love and conflict. WOLF Director/Screenwriter: Ya'ke Smith A family is shaken to the core when they discover their son has been molested. As they struggle to deal with the betrayal, their son heads towards a total mental collapse. Cast: Irma P. Hall, Mikala Gibson, Jordan Cooper, Shelton Jolivette, Eugene Lee (World Premiere) 24 BEATS PER SECOND Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary. Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are: Amor Cronico (Cuba / USA) Director: Jorge Perugorria Weaving footage of singer Cucu Diamantes’ Cuban tour into a fictional love story.  The result is an energetic display of her glamorous and infectious performance style and a fascinating portrait of Cuba today. Cast: Cucu Diamantes, Adela Legra, Liosky Clavero, Andres Levin, Jorge Perugorria (World Premiere) Bad Brains: Band in DC Directors: Mandy Stein, Benjamen Logan How four young men from DC changed music forever. (World Premiere) Charles Bradley: Soul of America Director: Poull Brien The incredible late-in-life rise of 62-year-old aspiring soul singer Charles Bradley, whose debut album rocketed him from a hard life in the projects to Rolling Stone magazine’s top 50 albums of 2011. (World Premiere) Daylight Savings Director: Dave Boyle, Screenwriters: Dave Boyle, Michael Lerman, Joel Clark, Goh Nakamura After a devastating breakup, musician Goh Nakamura hits the road with his irresponsible cousin to pursue a promising rebound with fellow musician Yea-Ming Chen. Cast: Goh Nakamura, Michael Aki, Yea-Ming Chen, Lynn Chen, Ayako Fujitani (World Premiere) Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir (Iceland / Denmark) Director: Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir At the tender age of 70 she started making music - and then she couldn't stop! A tribute to the Danish/Icelandic artist and late bloomer Sigrídur Níelsdóttir. Paul Williams Still Alive Director: Stephen Kessler A documentary filmmaker tracks down actor/singer/songwriter Paul Williams in an attempt to find out what happened to his idol. (U.S. Premiere) Rock 'N' Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen (UK) Director: Don Letts Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and others discuss the incredible life and work of the world's foremost rock 'n' roll photographer, Bob Gruen. (North American Premiere) Sunset Strip Director/Screenwriter: Hans Fjellestad The 100-year history of the loudest street on the planet, The Sunset Strip. (World Premiere) Under African Skies Director: Joe Berlinger Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime. Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots Director: Mark Ford 20 years after riots ripped through Los Angeles, Uprising documents how hip hop forecasted – and some say ignited – the worst civil unrest of the 20th century. (World Premiere) SX GLOBAL A diverse panorama of international filmmaking talent, including premieres, interactive documentaries and shorts. Films screening in SX Global are: BIJUKA (India) Director: Ashtar Sayed, Screenwriter: Dr. Mahendra Purohit Inspired by a true event. Scarecrow tells the true story of a young woman who is attempting to escape from an abusive arranged marriage. Cast: Arti Rautela, Amit Purohit (North American Premiere) Crulic - The Path to Beyond (Romania / Poland) Director: Anca Damian The animated documentary feature-length “Crulic – The Path to Beyond” tells the story of the life of Crulic, the 33-year-old Romanian who died in a Polish prison while on hunger strike. Cubaton - El Medico Story (Estonia / Sweden) Director: Daniel Fridell El Medico - a Cuban house doctor who wants to become a cubaton star - is facing a serious choice between serving the state and becoming a popstar. (North American Premiere) Her Master's Voice (UK) Director: Nina Conti Watching someone talk to themselves has never been so interesting. (World Premiere) ITALY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT (Italy / Germany) Directors: Gustav Hofer, Luca Ragazzi Gustav and Luca, two Italians, have to decide: Should they stay in Italy, or leave it? (North American Premiere) Mustafa's Sweet Dreams (Greece / UK) Director: Angelos Abazoglou Mustafa, a 16-year-old pastry shop apprentice dreams of becoming a famous baklava chef in Istanbul. (North American Premiere) Pompeya (Argentina) Director: Tamae Garateguy, Screenwriters: Tamae Garateguy, Diego A. Fleischer When a film director hires two screenwriters to make a gangster movie, a fiction feast starts: femmes fatales, mobs fighting for the same neighborhood and a limitless hero who defies every movie concept. Cast: José Luciano González, Joel Drut, Chang Sung Kim, Vladimir Yuravel, Miguel Forza de Paul (U.S. Premiere) ¡Vivan las Antipodas! (Germany / The Netherlands / Argentina / Chile) Director: Victor Kossakovsky Haven’t we all wondered at some point what was happening just at this moment beneath our very feet at the other side of the planet? FESTIVAL FAVORITES Acclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world. Films screening in Festival Favorites are: Beast (Denmark) Director/Screenwriter: Christoffer Boe How long will you go, to hold on to the person you love? Cast: Nicolas Bro, Marijana Jankovic, Nikolaj Lie Kaas The Comedy Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Robert Donne, Colm O'Leary Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father's estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker), a desensitized, aging Brooklyn hipster, strays into a series of reckless situations that may offer the promise of redemption or the threat of retribution. Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, James Murphy, Kate Lyn-Sheil, Alexia Rassmusen Dreams of a Life (UK / Ireland) Director: Carol Morley An imaginative quest to go beyond the newspaper reports and solve the mystery of who thirty-eight year old Joyce Vincent was and why she lay undiscovered for three years after her death in one of the busiest parts of London. (North American Premiere) God Bless America Director/Screenwriter: Bobcat Goldthwait Loveless, jobless, possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America.  With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and offs the stupidest, cruelest, and most repellent members of society. Cast: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr (U.S. Premiere) The Imposter (UK) Director: Bart Layton In 1994 a 13-year-old disappears without trace in Texas. Three years later he resurfaces in Spain with accounts of a horrifying kidnap. His family is overjoyed – but all is not as it seems. Indie Game: The Movie (Canada) Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky With the twenty-first century comes a new breed of artist: the indie game designer. These innovators design and program their distinctly personal games in the hope that they may find connection and success. KID-THING Director/Screenwriter: David Zellner A fever-dream fable about Annie, a rebellious girl devoid of parental guidance or a moral compass.  She roams the countryside looking for adventure, and finds it one day in the form of an abandoned well. Cast: Sydney Aguirre, Susan Tyrrell, Nathan Zellner, David Zellner, David Wingo Last Call at the Oasis Director: Jessica Yu A powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century. Lovely Molly Director: Eduardo Sanchez, Screenwriters: Eduardo Sanchez, Jamie Nash Exploring the parallels between psychosis, addiction and demonic possession, Lovely Molly tells the story of what really happens before the exorcist arrives. Cast: Gretchen Lodge, Johnny Lewis, Alexandra Holden (U.S. Premiere) The Raid (Indonesia) Director/Screenwriter: Gareth Huw Evans Rama and his special forces team fight their way through a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord. Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno WE ARE LEGION: The Story of the Hacktivists Director: Brian Knappenberger We Are Legion takes us inside the world of Anonymous, the radical "hacktivist" collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age. SPECIAL EVENTS Live Soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more.  Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique film event one-offs. Films screening in Special Events are: An Evening With Sacred Bones Records Director: Jacqueline Castel Brooklyn-based record label Sacred Bones presents an evening of original and curated programming of music videos, short films, works in progress, and a rare screening of their first film production, Twelve Dark Noons. (World Premiere) Bernie Director: Richard Linklater, Screenwriters: Richard Linklater, Skip Hollandsworth Based on real-life events, this dark comedy follows Bernie Tiede, his recently deceased friend Marjorie Nugent and District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson who is determined to get to the bottom of the crime. Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman, Richard Robichaux Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me Director: Drew Denicola A feature-length documentary about the massive critical acclaim, dismal commercial failure, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star. (Work in Progress) Casa de mi Padre Director: Matt Piedmont, Screenwriter: Andrew Steele Will Ferrell plays a Mexican rancher who must defend his father's home against the country's most infamous drug lord. Cast: Will Ferrell, Gael García Vernal, Diego Luna, Genesis Rodriguez, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Nick Offerman Girl Walk // All Day Director/Screenwriter: Jacob Krupnick A feature-length dance music film that combines freestyle dance with the daily chaos of New York City, set to Girl Talk's recent mashup album, All Day. Cast: Anne Marsen, John Doyle, Daisuke Omiya Re:Generation Director: Amir Bar Lev 5 DJ's Turn the Table on The History of Music. Renga (UK) Directors: Adam Russell, John Sear A ground breaking feature-length show controlled entirely by the audience using laser pointers. It is the first viable example of a standalone interactive experience capable of running in commercial movie theatres. (North American Premiere) The Oyster Princess (1919) with original live score by Bee vs. Moth (Germany) Director: Ernst Lubitsch, Screenriters: Hanns Kraly & Ernst Lubitsch The Oyster Princess is Ernst Lubitsch’s tart 1919 silent comedy that parodies the rich and the spoiled.  Austin jazz/rock band Bee vs. Moth performs their original score live with the film for the first time. (World Premiere)
  • David Fincher Reveals His Aborted 'Spider-Man' Plans
    By: Thomas Leupp December 20, 2011 3:59pm EST
    It's well known among movie fans that David Fincher was once on the shortlist of names Sony eyed to direct 2000's Spider-Man. The job eventually went to someone else -- some guy named Raimi -- and the world was deprived of the cold, clinical, unnervingly misogynist Spider-Man it so rightfully deserved. Today we were given a more detailed glimpse of Fincher's abandoned plans for the Web-Crawler, courtesy of the folks at io9. Because why talk to a legendary director about the myriad fascinating films he has made when you can talk about that one superhero movie he didn't? Here's the juiciest snippet: "My impression what Spider-Man could be is very different from what Sam [Raimi] did or what Sam wanted to do. I think the reason he directed that movie was because he wanted to do the Marvel comic superhero. I was never interested in the genesis story. I couldn't get past a guy getting bit by a red and blue spider. It was just a problem… It was not something that I felt I could do straight-faced. I wanted to start with Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin, and I wanted to kill Gwen Stacy. The title sequence of the movie that I was going to do was going to be a ten minute — basically a music video, an opera, which was going to be the one shot that took you through the entire Peter Parker [backstory]. Bit by a radio active spider, the death of Uncle Ben, the loss of Mary Jane, and [then the movie] was going to begin with Peter meeting Gwen Stacy. It was a very different thing, it wasn't the teenager story. It was much more of the guy who's settled into being a freak." So he wanted to kill both Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy? Yep, sounds like Fincher all right. Source: io9 David Fincher's latest film, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, opens everywhere tomorrow, December 21, 2011. Click below for more photos of the director:
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