The proverbial Top Ten List. A sacred tradition passed down by our cinematic elders. This is the fourth time I have partaken in this holy tradition, and one thing has remained constant is that this list is never set in stone. As we catch up with more films we missed or rewatch our favorites it causes us to like a movie more or less causing this list to change. In fact in 2012 and 2013 I ended up seeing my number one film of the year after I wrote up my Top 10. So the question becomes, “Why Do it?”. Well, for one it’s fun. At least I find it an enjoyable exercise as I try to break down the year that was. I watched 163 movies that were released in 2014. Narrowing that 163 down to a Top 10 is a challenge I enjoy.
Looking at 2014 as a whole it is evident it was a pretty good year.
Looking at 2014 as a whole it is evident it was a pretty good year.
- 1/11/2015
- by Dan Clark
- Nerdly
A new year of films may beckon, but there are lots of movies from 2014 you may have missed. Here's a list of 2014's most underappreciated...
There was no shortage of magnificent films in 2014 of every kind, from the expensive and explosive to the low-key and experimental. But it's a sad fact of life that not all movies do as well as they should, either because of poor distribution or simply because they'd been released at the same time as something much bigger and more star-laden.
While the list below is by no means an exhaustive one - there are plenty of great films from 2014 that we're still getting around to seeing - it's our attempt to highlight a few fine pieces of work that didn't get quite as much love as they deserved.
So without further ado - and in no particular order - we'll start with a stunning...
There was no shortage of magnificent films in 2014 of every kind, from the expensive and explosive to the low-key and experimental. But it's a sad fact of life that not all movies do as well as they should, either because of poor distribution or simply because they'd been released at the same time as something much bigger and more star-laden.
While the list below is by no means an exhaustive one - there are plenty of great films from 2014 that we're still getting around to seeing - it's our attempt to highlight a few fine pieces of work that didn't get quite as much love as they deserved.
So without further ado - and in no particular order - we'll start with a stunning...
- 1/6/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
40. Night Moves
Since 2006, Kelly Reichardt has found a way to reach inside of the hearts of her audiences, plucking out strings one by one with desolate re-imaginations of the American Pacific Northwest, seen through the eyes of people not so different than ourselves. With Meek’s Cutoff, she departed from her typical genre and moved in to the Old West, but you could still see her stark realism, perfectly imagined on-screen. Now, Reichardt has shifted gears again, this time to present day (still in the Pacific Northwest), following three environmental activists as they plan to blow up a dam. But this time Reichardt has eschewed all sense of dry, dirty characterization for a much more flowing story where the characters emerge from their settings more fully. It’s still methodical, but somewhere in between the planning and heist itself, Reichardt’s star Jesse Eisenberg finds notes we haven’t seen...
Since 2006, Kelly Reichardt has found a way to reach inside of the hearts of her audiences, plucking out strings one by one with desolate re-imaginations of the American Pacific Northwest, seen through the eyes of people not so different than ourselves. With Meek’s Cutoff, she departed from her typical genre and moved in to the Old West, but you could still see her stark realism, perfectly imagined on-screen. Now, Reichardt has shifted gears again, this time to present day (still in the Pacific Northwest), following three environmental activists as they plan to blow up a dam. But this time Reichardt has eschewed all sense of dry, dirty characterization for a much more flowing story where the characters emerge from their settings more fully. It’s still methodical, but somewhere in between the planning and heist itself, Reichardt’s star Jesse Eisenberg finds notes we haven’t seen...
- 12/28/2014
- by Staff
- SoundOnSight
After a summer season of blockbusters that gave the cinematic landscape of jewels and gems worthy of inspection a shake, “awards season,” from which some worthy contenders showed themselves, came roaring. Likewise, a backlog of more movies in the thick of this holiday season growing, certain timely realities proved elusive, in terms of getting to see everything 2014 — a year with more discoveries on my part than planned anticipation — had to offer. For that reason, potential favorites may turn up by the time some people, including myself, get to see those.
Yet, among the larger blockbusters (Interstellar, Godzilla, Guardians of the Galaxy) and widely lauded releases (Gone Girl, Boyhood, Whiplash, Birdman), surveying every crevice of that landscape, there were a lot of movies that were released, watched, podcasted about and reviewed here on Sound on Sight.
(Look for Sound on Sight’s finalized, staff-wide list of this year’s best on December 28.)
In fact,...
Yet, among the larger blockbusters (Interstellar, Godzilla, Guardians of the Galaxy) and widely lauded releases (Gone Girl, Boyhood, Whiplash, Birdman), surveying every crevice of that landscape, there were a lot of movies that were released, watched, podcasted about and reviewed here on Sound on Sight.
(Look for Sound on Sight’s finalized, staff-wide list of this year’s best on December 28.)
In fact,...
- 12/26/2014
- by Fiman Jafari
- SoundOnSight
Filth, Pride and Philomena among film nominees; awards take place on Jan 19 in London.
Sandi Toksvig will present the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain annual Awards at Riba, in London, on Jan 19, 2015.
In the two film categories, Pride (Stephen Beresford), The Selfish Giant (Clio Barnard) and Starred Up (Jonathan Asser) are up for Best First Screenplay, while Filth (Jon S Baird), Metro Manila (Sean Ellis & Frank E Flowers) and Philomena (Jeff Pope & Steve Coogan) will compete for Best Screenplay.
TV programmes up for awards include Line of Duty (Jed Mercurio), Peaky Blinders (Steven Knight), The Great Train Robbery (Chris Chibnall) and House of Fools (Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer).
A special award for outstanding contribution to writing and writers will be presented on the night.
Full shortlist
TV Drama – Long Form
Line of Duty (Jed Mercurio), Happy Valley (Sally Wainwright), Peaky Blinders (Steven Knight)
TV Drama – Short Form
The Great Train Robbery (Chris Chibnall), Turks & Caicos (David Hare), [link...
Sandi Toksvig will present the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain annual Awards at Riba, in London, on Jan 19, 2015.
In the two film categories, Pride (Stephen Beresford), The Selfish Giant (Clio Barnard) and Starred Up (Jonathan Asser) are up for Best First Screenplay, while Filth (Jon S Baird), Metro Manila (Sean Ellis & Frank E Flowers) and Philomena (Jeff Pope & Steve Coogan) will compete for Best Screenplay.
TV programmes up for awards include Line of Duty (Jed Mercurio), Peaky Blinders (Steven Knight), The Great Train Robbery (Chris Chibnall) and House of Fools (Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer).
A special award for outstanding contribution to writing and writers will be presented on the night.
Full shortlist
TV Drama – Long Form
Line of Duty (Jed Mercurio), Happy Valley (Sally Wainwright), Peaky Blinders (Steven Knight)
TV Drama – Short Form
The Great Train Robbery (Chris Chibnall), Turks & Caicos (David Hare), [link...
- 12/5/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
The Writers Guild Italia and the Black List have formed a new alliance, paving the way for Wgi members to list their scripts in the Black List database. The Black List has similar partnerships with the WGA West and East, the Writers Guild of Great Britain and the Writers Guild of Canada. However, this is the first time it has partnered with a non-English-speaking guild – a sign that good unproduced ideas come in many forms. An Italian film, The Great Beauty, of course won the Foreign Language Film Oscar last year — returning the statue to the country for the first time in 15 years — and local comedies are consistently hot at the box office. The Black List notes that although most Wgi members write primarily in Italian, many have great facility with the English language. Given the fluid language barriers, plus translation, and the unique point of view, culture, and style...
- 11/18/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
Starred Up the big winner at Scottish BAFTAs David Mackenzie took home the top film honours at the Scottish BAFTAs tonight, with his prison drama Starred Up winning the prizes for best film and best director, while his scriptwriter Jonathan Asser was named best TV/film writer (read what David Mackenzie told us about the film earlier in the year here).
The film beat stiff competition from Filth and Sunshine On Leith.
The film acting honours went to James McAvoy for Irvine Welsh adaptation Filth and Sophie Kennedy Clark for her role in Stephen Frears' drama Philomena.
The full list of film nominees and winners (in bold) is below:
Feature Film
Filth Jon S Baird, Ken Marshall, Trudie Styler - Steel Mill Pictures, Maven Pictures, Logie Pictures/Lionsgate
Starred Up David Mackenzie, Gillian Berrie, Jonathan Asser - Sigma Films/Fox Searchlight
Sunshine On Leith Dexter Fletcher, Stephen Greenhorn, Andrew Macdonald,...
The film beat stiff competition from Filth and Sunshine On Leith.
The film acting honours went to James McAvoy for Irvine Welsh adaptation Filth and Sophie Kennedy Clark for her role in Stephen Frears' drama Philomena.
The full list of film nominees and winners (in bold) is below:
Feature Film
Filth Jon S Baird, Ken Marshall, Trudie Styler - Steel Mill Pictures, Maven Pictures, Logie Pictures/Lionsgate
Starred Up David Mackenzie, Gillian Berrie, Jonathan Asser - Sigma Films/Fox Searchlight
Sunshine On Leith Dexter Fletcher, Stephen Greenhorn, Andrew Macdonald,...
- 11/16/2014
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA - essentially the UK equivalent of the AMPAS) has announced the 2014 BAFTA Breakthrough Brits. The 18 honourees were revealed last night at a reception. BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, which was launched in conjunction with Burberry in 2013, is now in its second year. The initiative celebrates and supports the UK’s future stars of film, television and games through a career development program that includes mentoring, guidance sessions and networking opportunities, as well as free access to BAFTA events, over 12 months. This year's Breakthrough Brits, chosen by a jury of industry experts, includes: writers Jonathan Asser and...
- 10/28/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
BAFTA has unveiled 18 newcomers working in the film, TV and games industries as its 2014 BAFTA Breakthrough Brits, in partnership with Burberry.
After a UK-wide call for applications and nominations, an industry jury selected the honorees.
The 18 selected are:
Jonathan Asser - Writer
Mike Brett & Steve Jamison [pictured] - Producer/Directors
Charu Desodt - Games producer
Destiny Ekaragha [pictured] - Director
Daniel Gray - Games producer
Tandis Jenhudson - Composer
Ashley Kendall - Presenter
Katie Leung - Actress
Chris Lunt - Writer
Stacy Martin - Actress
Reece Millidge - Game developer
Ray Panthaki - Actor/Producer
William Pugh - Game designer
Aj Riach - Producer
Callum Turner - Actor
Sarah Walker - Director
Marc Williamson - Producer/Director
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, said: “Breakthrough Brits, launched last year in partnership with Burberry, is BAFTA’s flagship initiative to showcase and support new talent, allowing us to shine a spotlight on outstanding individuals across film, television and games...
After a UK-wide call for applications and nominations, an industry jury selected the honorees.
The 18 selected are:
Jonathan Asser - Writer
Mike Brett & Steve Jamison [pictured] - Producer/Directors
Charu Desodt - Games producer
Destiny Ekaragha [pictured] - Director
Daniel Gray - Games producer
Tandis Jenhudson - Composer
Ashley Kendall - Presenter
Katie Leung - Actress
Chris Lunt - Writer
Stacy Martin - Actress
Reece Millidge - Game developer
Ray Panthaki - Actor/Producer
William Pugh - Game designer
Aj Riach - Producer
Callum Turner - Actor
Sarah Walker - Director
Marc Williamson - Producer/Director
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, said: “Breakthrough Brits, launched last year in partnership with Burberry, is BAFTA’s flagship initiative to showcase and support new talent, allowing us to shine a spotlight on outstanding individuals across film, television and games...
- 10/27/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, Rupert Friend, Gilly Gilchrist, Frederick Schmidt, Edna Caskey, Darren Hart, Raphael Sowole, Duncan Airlie James, Anthony Welsh, David Ajala, Jerome Bailey | Written by Jonathan Asser | Directed by David Mackenzie
There are movies that make you think. There are movies that make you question. There are movies that engage you to such a degree you are left emotionally exhausted when all is said and done. Then there are movies like Starred Up that make you do all three and so much more. Director David Mackenzie and screen writer Jonathan Asser have come together to create authentic take on the harsh conditions of prison life in Britain. Raw, brutal, and surprisingly heartfelt it examines the person behind the prison number. Never does it ever attempt to forgive its characters malicious actions—rather it brings us into the hellacious depths of their unruly world.
The term ‘Starred Up...
There are movies that make you think. There are movies that make you question. There are movies that engage you to such a degree you are left emotionally exhausted when all is said and done. Then there are movies like Starred Up that make you do all three and so much more. Director David Mackenzie and screen writer Jonathan Asser have come together to create authentic take on the harsh conditions of prison life in Britain. Raw, brutal, and surprisingly heartfelt it examines the person behind the prison number. Never does it ever attempt to forgive its characters malicious actions—rather it brings us into the hellacious depths of their unruly world.
The term ‘Starred Up...
- 10/8/2014
- by Dan Clark
- Nerdly
This year’s European Film Awards are officially out of the gates with a not so lean 50 film submissions to select from. The 27th edition collects titles that date back to last year’s Venice and Toronto Int. Film Festivals moving into Sundance-Rotterdam-Berlin and finally Cannes of ’14. Among the 31 European countries represented, we’ve got likes of the Palme d’Or winner Nuri Bilge Ceylan leading the huge pack of contenders including Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin and Pawel Pawlikowski’s Ida. Here’s the complete list of 50!:
Alienation
ОТЧУЖДЕНИЕ (Otchujdenie)
Bulgaria
Directed By: Milko Lazarov
Written By: Milko Lazarov, Kitodar Todorov & Georgi Tenev
Produced By: Veselka Kiryakova
Amour Fou
Austria/Luxembourg/Germany
Written & Directed By: Jessica Hausner
Produced By: Martin Gschlacht, Antonin Svoboda, Bruno Wagner, Bady Minck, Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu & Philippe Bober
Beautiful Youth
Hermosa Juventud
Spain/France
Directed By: Jaime Rosales
Written By: Jaime Rosales & Enric Rufas
Produced By: Jaime Rosales,...
Alienation
ОТЧУЖДЕНИЕ (Otchujdenie)
Bulgaria
Directed By: Milko Lazarov
Written By: Milko Lazarov, Kitodar Todorov & Georgi Tenev
Produced By: Veselka Kiryakova
Amour Fou
Austria/Luxembourg/Germany
Written & Directed By: Jessica Hausner
Produced By: Martin Gschlacht, Antonin Svoboda, Bruno Wagner, Bady Minck, Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu & Philippe Bober
Beautiful Youth
Hermosa Juventud
Spain/France
Directed By: Jaime Rosales
Written By: Jaime Rosales & Enric Rufas
Produced By: Jaime Rosales,...
- 9/16/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Chicago – Opening this weekend at Chicago’s Facets Cinematheque after a week on VOD is “Starred Up,” a bloody-knuckles British prison drama that was also a favorite at the most recent Chicago Critics Film Festival. This is an at-times beastly movie that follows in the line of previous character-driven jail films like “Chopper” (starring Eric Bana), or Tom Hardy’s raging breakout movie “Bronson”.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
While this movie may not have the narrative muscle of these references, this odyssey into a hidden world does feature two actors well on their way to becoming global obsessions, Jack O’Connell and Ben Mendelsohn.
O’Connell plays Eric Love, a raging teenager dumped into an adult prison to carry out a drug-related sentence. After asserting his power to his fellow inmates with an act of violence (and nearly killing someone albeit unintentionally), he makes a connection with his father Neville (Ben Mendelsohn) who...
Rating: 3.5/5.0
While this movie may not have the narrative muscle of these references, this odyssey into a hidden world does feature two actors well on their way to becoming global obsessions, Jack O’Connell and Ben Mendelsohn.
O’Connell plays Eric Love, a raging teenager dumped into an adult prison to carry out a drug-related sentence. After asserting his power to his fellow inmates with an act of violence (and nearly killing someone albeit unintentionally), he makes a connection with his father Neville (Ben Mendelsohn) who...
- 9/5/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Starred Up Tribeca Films Reviewed for Shockya by Harvey Karten. Data-based on Rotten Tomatoes Grade: B Director: David Mackenzie Screenplay: Jonathan Asser Cast: Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, David Ajala, Peter Ferdinando, Gershwyn Eustache Jr., Ashley Chin, Raphael Sowole, Gilly Gilchrist, Tommy McDonnell, Frederick Schmidt, Sam Spruell, Rupert Friend Screened at: Critics’ screener, NYC, 8/30/14 Opens: August 27, 2014 Because no film in recent memory has had the problem of communicating dialogue so notably (in fact this incomprehensibility feels like a director’s artistic choice to focus the audience on the physicality), you have to go into this film knowing that you will miss at least half of the words. So don’t [ Read More ]
The post Starred Up Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Starred Up Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/5/2014
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Starred Up
UK, 2014
Written by Jonathan Asser
Directed by David Mackenzie
Most prison stories are stories about men. (That’s what made Orange is the New Black such a breath of fresh air; it was an exception to the rule.) But there are stories about men, and then there are stories about masculinity. The latter is much harder to pull off, because masculinity means different things to different men in different situations. That’s why David Mackenzie’s new film Starred Up is so masterfully tense, and sure to be high on this critic’s year-end top ten list.
The title refers to the practice, in the British prison system, of moving youth offenders into adult jails. Such treatment is usually reserved for the worst of the worst, and Eric Love (Jack O’Connell of the UK version of the teen soap Skins) is clearly one of those: his first...
UK, 2014
Written by Jonathan Asser
Directed by David Mackenzie
Most prison stories are stories about men. (That’s what made Orange is the New Black such a breath of fresh air; it was an exception to the rule.) But there are stories about men, and then there are stories about masculinity. The latter is much harder to pull off, because masculinity means different things to different men in different situations. That’s why David Mackenzie’s new film Starred Up is so masterfully tense, and sure to be high on this critic’s year-end top ten list.
The title refers to the practice, in the British prison system, of moving youth offenders into adult jails. Such treatment is usually reserved for the worst of the worst, and Eric Love (Jack O’Connell of the UK version of the teen soap Skins) is clearly one of those: his first...
- 8/30/2014
- by Mark Young
- SoundOnSight
Revitalizing the prison film genre by means of raw authenticity and powerful performances, David Mackenzie's ‘”Starred Up” is a bold exploration into the violent mind in the absence of freedom. A young inmate, Eric Love, played stunningly by Jack O'Connell, is adapting to the gritty environment around him. He knows that in this microcosm of hatred, ruthlessness, and frustration, he can only count on himself. However, in the same prison, his father. Neville Love (Ben Mendelsohn), is also serving his sentence. What ensues is a striking story of survival, connections, redemption, and even hope. Directed with incredible attention to the emotional journey of its characters, the film is an intense experience that finds a certain brutal humanity in every scene.
Director David Mackenzie talked to us about the emotionally charged elements of the film, depicting honest violence, and letting the magic of the moment influence his film.
Carlos Aguilar: How did you initially become involved with the project? What drew you to this story?
David Mackenzie : It came to me as a spec script from Jonathan Asser who is a talented first-time writer. He’d written it from personal experience. He has been a therapist for the British prison system. The script felt very strong, detailed, authentic, it had a very interesting kind of language and strong characters. It was not hard for me to like it. It needed some work to get us into the shape that we got today, but it was a very strong first hit as it was. I think Jonathan is a talent and it was great to get it.
Aguilar: Given the complexity of the characters portrayed in "Starred Up," how difficult was it to translate the powerful language on the page and put it into the actors' hands to shape their performance?
David Mackenzie : It’s a hard one to answer because you just do it. They interpret the good things that I hope Jonathan and I brought to the table, that was part of it. The actors also bring things to the table trying not to fall into too many clichés within the context of a genre film essentially about a prison. There are also the potential non-complex or clichéd things that you can do with that, but we tried our hardest to avoid them and to make them human. I think Jonathan's story is filled with human opportunities. Keeping the humanity and the reality of the situation, and the authenticity of the world as close to it as we could was helpful for everyone. I think everyone knew that was the approach we were using, and they filled they characters with as much detail as possible.
Aguilar: With such emotionally charged material as this, what's your approach to realize your vision from page to screen?
David Mackenzie : I look at the script as a set of ingredients. It tells you who is in the scene, it tells you roughly what the actions are, then you go into the environment and you make it come alive. That’s the idea of it. It is really not possible to talk about the specifics of it. You are just in the middle sort of dancing with the material, as a director that’s what I encourage everyone to do. We were trying to keep it very alive, very real, and very close to the material. However, we were also improvising and engaging with whatever was going to come out and give life to the material. It’s about letting the material do one thing, and then letting the magic of the moment do another thing and stirring them together.
Aguilar: What sort of research or preparation did you and your do in order to enhance the realism of the piece?
David Mackenzie : There was a lot of background research, plus being there in a real former prison with some former prison officers and former prisoners to advice us. We needed to be a little bit below the radar in terms of drawing attention to ourselves. We didn’t want to be controversial before the film was made. The real research was the combination of the actual location that we used, the people that we used to advice us, and, obviously, Jonathan’s knowledge.
Aguilar: The violence in the film has this raw and visceral quality to it, did you have any reservations or concerns in terms of its depiction?
David Mackenzie : One of the things that was scariest for me was how to make these set pieces, where the performances were very real, also look realistic. We were trying to make them feel very energized and the way we were shooting the film was a sort of like doing an aestheticized semi-documentary film. Our Dp Michael McDonough and I would never set up a frame. We always had the frame be dictated by the action, even though we both have very cinematic sensibilities. It was like pushing against that. Even within that, you obviously have some things that are much less spontaneous because the action sequences need to be choreographed for safety reasons. The challenge of how to make these non-spontaneous sequences match the others that are much more spontaneous was really hard. We had a great stunt team, they understood the game. It was very important for us to have violence that wasn’t glamorizing it in any way. It wasn’t “cool.” Violence should feel sort of painful, but we were doing that within the context of making it feel like it belongs with the rest of the film. It was a real challenge, but I think we did alright.
Aguilar: One of the strongest thematic elements in the film is this father and son relationship between Eris and Neville, did you want this to be at the center of the story? How did you go about getting these emotions across?
David Mackenzie : For me the heart and soul of the film is the relationship between the son and the father, and the fact that both of them are incredibly emotionally locked down, in particularly Neville. He solidifies his approach to everything so much that he can't move. He doesn’t have a clue of how to be a father and he really doesn’t have an interest in being a father. But somehow rather underneath all of that hardness there is an instinct that he doesn’t understand. It creeps up on him and he has to deal with it. For Eric it's different, he’s been longing to find his father who he hasn’t seen for a long time. He wants to reach out to him, but Neville doesn’t have an interest. My approach was to make sure that each character was doing what they should be doing even if it’s contradicting the other character and to push that across. I wanted the tension between them to be as tangible as possible. I’m really pleased with the way it worked out. Our approach was about letting it happen. The fact that we shot the film sequentially also helped a lot.
Aguilar: It seems like the outside world often dehumanizes those who we cannot see - people in prison for example. Was it your intention to try and bring some humanity back into the way we perceive them?
David Mackenzie : The first thing I wanted to do when I read the script was to take this hard subject and allow the humanity to come out, while also showing the hope, the humor, the need to reach out. Jack’s character Eric has no connection with anyone at the beginning of the film. But by the end of the film he’s developed a connection with his father and other inmates, which is the real source of hope in the film. That’s what I found attractive from the very beginning while reading the script, the opportunity to take a film that existed in a very hard world, a hostile and dangerous environment where there is a lot of tension, and find ways to creep in bits of humanity, bits of heart, and soul.
Aguilar: Can you tell me about your experience working with Jack O'Connell? His performance is absolutely riveting.
David Mackenzie : Working with him was fantastic. He and I discussed early on that we would try to make sure there was a very brave, totally focused, and not held back approach. Jack ran with it, and that was very exciting. Occasionally I had to kind of remind him that he was a boy as well as a man. I wanted to make sure that the softness and the vulnerability of the character was sometimes there because Jack was on fire. I knew from the beginning when I met him that we’d get something amazing, but I think that, because of the process of going on the journey, it became more amazing as we went further along.
Aguilar: Below the violence and the brutal world depicted, what's at the core of the film?
David Mackenzie : I think the film intends to create a really realistic picture of jail and a kid in this jail. It tries to shine a light on the potential humanity as well as the potential struggles that are going on there. I feel like we’ve done that, but there are no easy answers and there are no easy solutions to these things. The people there, no matter what they’ve done, are still human beings. They have their own stories of redemption and hope and everything that all humans have. I hope it is a humanistic experience.
"Starred Up" opens in NYC today at the IFC Center and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. It will open in L.A. on September 5th.
Director David Mackenzie talked to us about the emotionally charged elements of the film, depicting honest violence, and letting the magic of the moment influence his film.
Carlos Aguilar: How did you initially become involved with the project? What drew you to this story?
David Mackenzie : It came to me as a spec script from Jonathan Asser who is a talented first-time writer. He’d written it from personal experience. He has been a therapist for the British prison system. The script felt very strong, detailed, authentic, it had a very interesting kind of language and strong characters. It was not hard for me to like it. It needed some work to get us into the shape that we got today, but it was a very strong first hit as it was. I think Jonathan is a talent and it was great to get it.
Aguilar: Given the complexity of the characters portrayed in "Starred Up," how difficult was it to translate the powerful language on the page and put it into the actors' hands to shape their performance?
David Mackenzie : It’s a hard one to answer because you just do it. They interpret the good things that I hope Jonathan and I brought to the table, that was part of it. The actors also bring things to the table trying not to fall into too many clichés within the context of a genre film essentially about a prison. There are also the potential non-complex or clichéd things that you can do with that, but we tried our hardest to avoid them and to make them human. I think Jonathan's story is filled with human opportunities. Keeping the humanity and the reality of the situation, and the authenticity of the world as close to it as we could was helpful for everyone. I think everyone knew that was the approach we were using, and they filled they characters with as much detail as possible.
Aguilar: With such emotionally charged material as this, what's your approach to realize your vision from page to screen?
David Mackenzie : I look at the script as a set of ingredients. It tells you who is in the scene, it tells you roughly what the actions are, then you go into the environment and you make it come alive. That’s the idea of it. It is really not possible to talk about the specifics of it. You are just in the middle sort of dancing with the material, as a director that’s what I encourage everyone to do. We were trying to keep it very alive, very real, and very close to the material. However, we were also improvising and engaging with whatever was going to come out and give life to the material. It’s about letting the material do one thing, and then letting the magic of the moment do another thing and stirring them together.
Aguilar: What sort of research or preparation did you and your do in order to enhance the realism of the piece?
David Mackenzie : There was a lot of background research, plus being there in a real former prison with some former prison officers and former prisoners to advice us. We needed to be a little bit below the radar in terms of drawing attention to ourselves. We didn’t want to be controversial before the film was made. The real research was the combination of the actual location that we used, the people that we used to advice us, and, obviously, Jonathan’s knowledge.
Aguilar: The violence in the film has this raw and visceral quality to it, did you have any reservations or concerns in terms of its depiction?
David Mackenzie : One of the things that was scariest for me was how to make these set pieces, where the performances were very real, also look realistic. We were trying to make them feel very energized and the way we were shooting the film was a sort of like doing an aestheticized semi-documentary film. Our Dp Michael McDonough and I would never set up a frame. We always had the frame be dictated by the action, even though we both have very cinematic sensibilities. It was like pushing against that. Even within that, you obviously have some things that are much less spontaneous because the action sequences need to be choreographed for safety reasons. The challenge of how to make these non-spontaneous sequences match the others that are much more spontaneous was really hard. We had a great stunt team, they understood the game. It was very important for us to have violence that wasn’t glamorizing it in any way. It wasn’t “cool.” Violence should feel sort of painful, but we were doing that within the context of making it feel like it belongs with the rest of the film. It was a real challenge, but I think we did alright.
Aguilar: One of the strongest thematic elements in the film is this father and son relationship between Eris and Neville, did you want this to be at the center of the story? How did you go about getting these emotions across?
David Mackenzie : For me the heart and soul of the film is the relationship between the son and the father, and the fact that both of them are incredibly emotionally locked down, in particularly Neville. He solidifies his approach to everything so much that he can't move. He doesn’t have a clue of how to be a father and he really doesn’t have an interest in being a father. But somehow rather underneath all of that hardness there is an instinct that he doesn’t understand. It creeps up on him and he has to deal with it. For Eric it's different, he’s been longing to find his father who he hasn’t seen for a long time. He wants to reach out to him, but Neville doesn’t have an interest. My approach was to make sure that each character was doing what they should be doing even if it’s contradicting the other character and to push that across. I wanted the tension between them to be as tangible as possible. I’m really pleased with the way it worked out. Our approach was about letting it happen. The fact that we shot the film sequentially also helped a lot.
Aguilar: It seems like the outside world often dehumanizes those who we cannot see - people in prison for example. Was it your intention to try and bring some humanity back into the way we perceive them?
David Mackenzie : The first thing I wanted to do when I read the script was to take this hard subject and allow the humanity to come out, while also showing the hope, the humor, the need to reach out. Jack’s character Eric has no connection with anyone at the beginning of the film. But by the end of the film he’s developed a connection with his father and other inmates, which is the real source of hope in the film. That’s what I found attractive from the very beginning while reading the script, the opportunity to take a film that existed in a very hard world, a hostile and dangerous environment where there is a lot of tension, and find ways to creep in bits of humanity, bits of heart, and soul.
Aguilar: Can you tell me about your experience working with Jack O'Connell? His performance is absolutely riveting.
David Mackenzie : Working with him was fantastic. He and I discussed early on that we would try to make sure there was a very brave, totally focused, and not held back approach. Jack ran with it, and that was very exciting. Occasionally I had to kind of remind him that he was a boy as well as a man. I wanted to make sure that the softness and the vulnerability of the character was sometimes there because Jack was on fire. I knew from the beginning when I met him that we’d get something amazing, but I think that, because of the process of going on the journey, it became more amazing as we went further along.
Aguilar: Below the violence and the brutal world depicted, what's at the core of the film?
David Mackenzie : I think the film intends to create a really realistic picture of jail and a kid in this jail. It tries to shine a light on the potential humanity as well as the potential struggles that are going on there. I feel like we’ve done that, but there are no easy answers and there are no easy solutions to these things. The people there, no matter what they’ve done, are still human beings. They have their own stories of redemption and hope and everything that all humans have. I hope it is a humanistic experience.
"Starred Up" opens in NYC today at the IFC Center and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. It will open in L.A. on September 5th.
- 8/29/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Starred Up
Written by Jonathan Asser
Directed by David Mackenzie
USA, 2014
There’s a scene in the first act of the film where the young protagonist Eric, in an effort to gain control of a situation to proclaim his innocence, bites down on a prison guard’s genitals and holds on like a dog with a chew toy. That moment alone does a lot to encapsulate the do-or-die realities of the film’s prison environment, but more importantly showcases the immediate talent of its star Jack O’Connell: Like it or not, he demands your attention and he’s not letting go anytime soon.
The plot revolves around young and violent teenager Eric (Jack O’Connell), who is transferred to an adult prison early before the regular age – a process referred to as being “starred up”- and comes head to head with his inmate father Neville (Ben Mendelsohn) while...
Written by Jonathan Asser
Directed by David Mackenzie
USA, 2014
There’s a scene in the first act of the film where the young protagonist Eric, in an effort to gain control of a situation to proclaim his innocence, bites down on a prison guard’s genitals and holds on like a dog with a chew toy. That moment alone does a lot to encapsulate the do-or-die realities of the film’s prison environment, but more importantly showcases the immediate talent of its star Jack O’Connell: Like it or not, he demands your attention and he’s not letting go anytime soon.
The plot revolves around young and violent teenager Eric (Jack O’Connell), who is transferred to an adult prison early before the regular age – a process referred to as being “starred up”- and comes head to head with his inmate father Neville (Ben Mendelsohn) while...
- 8/28/2014
- by Dylan Griffin
- SoundOnSight
The Labor Day weekend, signaling the last of summer movies, usually brings out a herd of barking dogs. I'm talking about you The November Man, The Last of Robin Hood, and As Above/So Below. So it's a satisfying shock to see a damn near great movie emerge from the muck. That would be Starred Up, a British prison drama from director David Mackenzie (Young Adam) that is a romping, stomping knockout with an unexpected emotional pull. Violence comes with the territory as the warden (Sam Spruell) exerts a losing...
- 8/28/2014
- Rollingstone.com
The title Starred Up refers to the premature transferal of a juvenile to adult prison. In the case of this film, directed by David Mackenzie, said juvenile is 19-year-old inmate Eric Love played with utter ferocity by Jack O'Connell. The overall awe I felt in watching O'Connell here is like the first time I saw Tom Hardy in Nicolas Winding Refn's Bronson, though, while both films focus on unstable prison inmates, you have to strip away all the dark humor and absurdity of Bronson before you can get to the harsh, real world, brutal intensity of Starred Up and it doesn't let up for a second. Eric Love's transfer comes as a result of his violent nature and Mackenzie introduces the audience to Eric's new environment right along with the young man -- strip off your clothes, raise your arms, squat, put your clothes on. He's ushered down the...
- 8/28/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Starred Up director David Mackenzie on working with Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn and Rupert Friend: "All the actors were allowed to explore. They weren't being funneled. There was a creative heart." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
David Mackenzie's humane look at the tortured prison system in Tribeca Film's Starred Up stars Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn and Rupert Friend with a screenplay by prison system therapist Jonathan Asser. In New York, the morning before the opening of his film, the director and I discussed the spell of John Boorman's Point Blank, which stars Lee Marvin, making Perfect Sense, Patrick McGrath's Asylum, and Charles Laughton's The Night Of The Hunter with Robert Mitchum's knuckles exploring the meaning of love and hate.
Even before we see, we hear the prison. Sounds foreboding and leaden, metal gates slamming shut, steps with the weight of heavy hearts. The spirit of place is one of terror.
David Mackenzie's humane look at the tortured prison system in Tribeca Film's Starred Up stars Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn and Rupert Friend with a screenplay by prison system therapist Jonathan Asser. In New York, the morning before the opening of his film, the director and I discussed the spell of John Boorman's Point Blank, which stars Lee Marvin, making Perfect Sense, Patrick McGrath's Asylum, and Charles Laughton's The Night Of The Hunter with Robert Mitchum's knuckles exploring the meaning of love and hate.
Even before we see, we hear the prison. Sounds foreboding and leaden, metal gates slamming shut, steps with the weight of heavy hearts. The spirit of place is one of terror.
- 8/27/2014
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
With Starred Up, David Mackenzie has crafted an instant classic not just of the prison sub-genre, but one of the best dramas of the year so far. As his eight feature, the movie treads new ground for a talent whose last high-profile movie was the Ewan McGregor-starring Perfect Sense, but showcasing astonishing performances from Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelsohn and Rupert Friend – and proving he can bring out the beauty in the brutality – it’s also his greatest work so far. HeyUGuys had a chat with him about it.
Were you always interested in making a prison-set film? Or was it Jonathan Asser’s screenplay that drew you in?
It’s a hard one; you choose a project on the basis of a number of reasons. All the things that come across your path are a major reason, you know. I definitely think I was interested in trying to make a movie that was,...
Were you always interested in making a prison-set film? Or was it Jonathan Asser’s screenplay that drew you in?
It’s a hard one; you choose a project on the basis of a number of reasons. All the things that come across your path are a major reason, you know. I definitely think I was interested in trying to make a movie that was,...
- 8/5/2014
- by Gary Green
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The director of Starred Up takes us through the release of the film, and adapting Journey Into Space...
An indie movie that broke out earlier this year was David Mackenzie's extraordinary prison drama Starred Up. Powered by a superb performance from Jack O'Connell, it's a brutal, unflinching look at the prison system, albeit with human light shone in there. As it arrives on DVD and Blu-ray, director David Mackenzie spared us some time to look back at the movie, and what he was looking to achieve with it...
Going back to the cinema release of Starred Up. You got strong reviews, and a relatively wide release. Given the subject matter of the film, it seemed like your distributor backed it quite hard.
When you started it, you can't really have envisaged it'd be a huge commercial project. But Starred Up ended up with a relatively high profile.
I was...
An indie movie that broke out earlier this year was David Mackenzie's extraordinary prison drama Starred Up. Powered by a superb performance from Jack O'Connell, it's a brutal, unflinching look at the prison system, albeit with human light shone in there. As it arrives on DVD and Blu-ray, director David Mackenzie spared us some time to look back at the movie, and what he was looking to achieve with it...
Going back to the cinema release of Starred Up. You got strong reviews, and a relatively wide release. Given the subject matter of the film, it seemed like your distributor backed it quite hard.
When you started it, you can't really have envisaged it'd be a huge commercial project. But Starred Up ended up with a relatively high profile.
I was...
- 8/4/2014
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
★★★★☆The young male inmate rallying against the system is hardly untapped territory in film, but with Starred Up (2013) writer Jonathan Asser and director David Mackenzie have succeeded in putting a fresh spin on that schema, bolstered further by a powerhouse performance from Skins graduate Jack O'Connell. It's no surprise that the likes of Tom Hardy (Bronson) and Ray Winstone (Scum) have used the sub-genre in the past as means of launching their big screen careers. It's the kind of milieu which seems primed to showcase an actor's abilities and O'Connell more than rises to the challenge here. For the first ten minutes our lead doesn't even utter a word, yet somehow completely commands the screen.
- 8/4/2014
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Watch the trailer for Tribeca Film’s Starred Up. The critically acclaimed film, directed by David Mackenzie and starring Jack O’Connell, Rupert Friend and Ben Mendelsohn, opens in Us theaters on August 29th and VOD on August 26th.
The film is a raw look inside prison life that features an authentic dialogue of UK prison slang from screenwriter Jonathan Asser.
Starring Jack O’Connell (star of the upcoming Unbroken), Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises) and Rupert Friend (“Homeland”), Starred Up focuses on 19-year-old Eric, arrogant and ultra-violent, who is prematurely transferred to the same adult prison facility as his estranged father.
As his explosive temper quickly finds him enemies in both prison authorities and fellow inmates — and his already volatile relationship with his father is pushed past breaking point — Eric is approached by a volunteer psychotherapist, who runs an anger management group for prisoners.
Torn between gang politics,...
The film is a raw look inside prison life that features an authentic dialogue of UK prison slang from screenwriter Jonathan Asser.
Starring Jack O’Connell (star of the upcoming Unbroken), Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises) and Rupert Friend (“Homeland”), Starred Up focuses on 19-year-old Eric, arrogant and ultra-violent, who is prematurely transferred to the same adult prison facility as his estranged father.
As his explosive temper quickly finds him enemies in both prison authorities and fellow inmates — and his already volatile relationship with his father is pushed past breaking point — Eric is approached by a volunteer psychotherapist, who runs an anger management group for prisoners.
Torn between gang politics,...
- 7/10/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Jack O’Connell faces adult prison horrors in the new trailer for David Mackenzie‘s “Starred Up” — a film that is set to jump-start the 23-year-old former “Skins” stars’ leading man career. Written by prisoner psychotherapist-turned-screenwriter Jonathan Asser, “Starred Up” centers on Eric (O’Connell), a high-risk young offender who is sent into an adult prison where he must face his estranged father and fellow inmate, Neville (Ben Mendelsohn). Also co-starring is “Homeland” star Rupert Friend as Oliver, a volunteer prison psychologist who tries to help Eric control his fits of rage in order change his life for the better. As evident [...]
The post Watch: Jack O’Connell and Rupert Friend in New U.S. Trailer for ‘Starred Up’ appeared first on Up and Comers.
The post Watch: Jack O’Connell and Rupert Friend in New U.S. Trailer for ‘Starred Up’ appeared first on Up and Comers.
- 7/10/2014
- by Alfonso Espina
- UpandComers
Performer Ben Mendelsohn has, over the course of his 30-year career, garnered acclaim for supporting turns in numerous movies, including The New World, Australia, Animal Kingdom, Killing Them Softly, and The Place Beyond The Pines. His involvement in a feature thus raises interest in it for many film fans, and this held true for his latest project as well. Titled Starred Up, the film is directed by David Mackenzie, and marks the screenwriting debut of Jonathan Asser. Mendelsohn stars alongside Jack O’Connell, Rupert Friend, and David Ajala, and a Us trailer for the film has now been released. The trailer can be seen below. Sound on Sight was able to see the film at Tiff 2013, and our review can be read here.
The post ‘Starred Up’, with Ben Mendelsohn, gets a Us trailer appeared first on Sound On Sight.
The post ‘Starred Up’, with Ben Mendelsohn, gets a Us trailer appeared first on Sound On Sight.
- 7/9/2014
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Picking the best movies that come out in any given year is no easy feat. For film fans, a quality feature can come out at any time, from any one, and discovering an enjoyable and well-crafted feature is truly a pleasure. As we reach the halfway point of the year, many excellent films have already made their way to theatres, films that are well worth a watch. Below, you shall find the list of the top 30 films of 2014 to date, a list that ranges from science fiction thrillers to period dramas.
A few notes to keep in mind when reading our entry: Certain films from our 2013 list make a second appearance on this list. This is because the movies, while technically released this year, were seen by a select few in time for last year’s list, due to the benefit of film festivals and press screenings. The list itself is in no particular order,...
A few notes to keep in mind when reading our entry: Certain films from our 2013 list make a second appearance on this list. This is because the movies, while technically released this year, were seen by a select few in time for last year’s list, due to the benefit of film festivals and press screenings. The list itself is in no particular order,...
- 7/1/2014
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Jack O'Connell gives an electrifying performance as a violent teenager forced to confront parental authority in prison
When inspirational director Alan Clarke cooked up an authentic television portrait of incarcerated British youth in the late 1970s, the resultant film was so alarming that it was promptly banned by the BBC. Clarke subsequently remade Scum for the cinema, and both the small- and big-screen versions of his most notorious work have since cast long shadows over their respective mediums. Plaudits, then, to David Mackenzie for fashioning a tough but empathetic (if uneven) prison drama which marks out its own territory in an arena in which Clarke's epochal work is still the daddy, even now.
Shot (but not set) in Northern Ireland on a tight schedule and even tighter budget, this eye-catching and frequently pulse-pounding drama finds high-risk young offender Eric (Jack O'Connell) being moved up to an adult prison where he...
When inspirational director Alan Clarke cooked up an authentic television portrait of incarcerated British youth in the late 1970s, the resultant film was so alarming that it was promptly banned by the BBC. Clarke subsequently remade Scum for the cinema, and both the small- and big-screen versions of his most notorious work have since cast long shadows over their respective mediums. Plaudits, then, to David Mackenzie for fashioning a tough but empathetic (if uneven) prison drama which marks out its own territory in an arena in which Clarke's epochal work is still the daddy, even now.
Shot (but not set) in Northern Ireland on a tight schedule and even tighter budget, this eye-catching and frequently pulse-pounding drama finds high-risk young offender Eric (Jack O'Connell) being moved up to an adult prison where he...
- 3/23/2014
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
Could be the most realistic depiction of the horribleness and the ineffectiveness of institutional incarceration — on levels that impact both the individual and society on the whole — that I’ve ever seen. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
I’ve never been to prison, so I can’t know for sure, but David Mackenzie’s (Young Adam) Starred Up could be the most realistic depiction of the horribleness and the ineffectiveness of institutional incarceration — on levels that impact both the individual and society on the whole — that I’ve ever seen. The title might sound sort of dreamy, but it refers to the status of a young offender in the British penal system who is prematurely moved to an adult facility, which is what happens to 19-year-old Eric (Jack O’Connell: 300: Rise of an Empire)… and so,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
I’ve never been to prison, so I can’t know for sure, but David Mackenzie’s (Young Adam) Starred Up could be the most realistic depiction of the horribleness and the ineffectiveness of institutional incarceration — on levels that impact both the individual and society on the whole — that I’ve ever seen. The title might sound sort of dreamy, but it refers to the status of a young offender in the British penal system who is prematurely moved to an adult facility, which is what happens to 19-year-old Eric (Jack O’Connell: 300: Rise of an Empire)… and so,...
- 3/21/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Starred Up, an unconventional father-son story set in prison, represents a number of things for British cinema. Firstly, it’s emblematic of how strong UK-set and UK-made productions have been recently; in the past year alone, we’ve had The Selfish Giant, For Those in Peril, and A Field in England among others, all proving that the country is in very healthy cinematic shape indeed. It also gives us more reason to laud young British talent – Jack O’Connell provides a mesmerizing exhibition of vulnerable intensity, plus an extraordinarily interesting journey to our shores from Ben Mendelsohn, an actor more accustomed to his native Australian dramas (as the main source of evil in 2011′s Animal Kingdom) and American blockbusters (a glorified stooge in The Dark Knight Rises in a lesser one in Killing Them Softly).
But what Starred Up also does, is reveal a way of life that moves along every day,...
But what Starred Up also does, is reveal a way of life that moves along every day,...
- 3/21/2014
- by Gary Green
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Director: David Mackenzie; Screenwriter: Jonathan Asser; Starring: Jack O'Connell, Rupert Friend, Ben Mendelsohn; Running time: 106 mins; Certificate: 18
Not a film to just kick back and enjoy, instead prison drama Starred Up takes you by the scruff of the neck and shakes you up. British director David Mackenzie certainly likes to challenge an audience (Young Adam, Hallam Foe, Perfect Sense), but he also knows how to get a raw, affecting performance out of an actor and in the case of Skins graduate Jack O'Connell, it's blistering.
As soon as O'Connell comes striding through the prison door, his aura is electric. He plays Eric, a young offender who is "starred up" for having an especially violent temper and controversially banged up with the big boys. In fact, that's his preference because it means he'll be under the same roof as his father, Neville (played by Ben Mendelsohn, who gives a richly textured portrayal,...
Not a film to just kick back and enjoy, instead prison drama Starred Up takes you by the scruff of the neck and shakes you up. British director David Mackenzie certainly likes to challenge an audience (Young Adam, Hallam Foe, Perfect Sense), but he also knows how to get a raw, affecting performance out of an actor and in the case of Skins graduate Jack O'Connell, it's blistering.
As soon as O'Connell comes striding through the prison door, his aura is electric. He plays Eric, a young offender who is "starred up" for having an especially violent temper and controversially banged up with the big boys. In fact, that's his preference because it means he'll be under the same roof as his father, Neville (played by Ben Mendelsohn, who gives a richly textured portrayal,...
- 3/17/2014
- Digital Spy
Jonathan Asser used to struggle with his extreme rage until he learned to master it – and discovered a skill for calming violent prisoners. His experience led to a film and best-newcomer award at the London Film Festival
"You fucking pussy!" Errol yells at me in his first group. He's been putting pressure on Dwayne, who I can feel is about to kick off, so I've intervened to bring Errol's focus on to me. "You fucking motherfucking prick!"
Errol's pacing veers closer and closer to me with each pass. He points at me. "I will fucking fuck you up right now!" I'm scared, but it isn't fear that holds my attention. It's shame. I'm totally and utterly focussed on the excruciating feeling of exposure throbbing through me as Errol heaps disrespect on me in front of the group. And I know, from years of experience working in the heat of the...
"You fucking pussy!" Errol yells at me in his first group. He's been putting pressure on Dwayne, who I can feel is about to kick off, so I've intervened to bring Errol's focus on to me. "You fucking motherfucking prick!"
Errol's pacing veers closer and closer to me with each pass. He points at me. "I will fucking fuck you up right now!" I'm scared, but it isn't fear that holds my attention. It's shame. I'm totally and utterly focussed on the excruciating feeling of exposure throbbing through me as Errol heaps disrespect on me in front of the group. And I know, from years of experience working in the heat of the...
- 3/9/2014
- The Guardian - Film News
The weirdest thought flickers through my mind not long after meeting Jonathan Asser, the first-time screenwriter of acclaimed new prison drama Starred Up. We’re sitting in a deserted old boxing gym on London’s Harrow Road and the authenticity of the place is getting to me. I’ve just been hearing how Asser told his therapist “I’d kill you” if he felt angry during a session. And now Asser is telling me about his old performance-poetry persona, a “terrifying predatory psychopath” who would traumatise audiences worried that it might not be an act. I can’t help wondering: am I entirely safe?...
- 3/9/2014
- The Independent - Film
By the looks of it, the Tribeca Film Festival might finally be growing out of their awkward teenage phase and moving into a new era where the nab more than just Sundance and SXSW festival rejects. Artistic Director Frederic Boyer has managed to nab some noteworthy American indie projects such as Lou Howe’s Gabriel (see pic above), Keith Miller’s Five Star, Adam Rapp’s Loitering with Intent, and Tristan Patterson’s Electric Slide.
On the docu front, we’ve got the latest from the likes of notable documentarians Marshall Curry and Jessica Yu. Think Ewan McGregor’s Long Way Round meets child solider movie for Curry’s awesomely titled Point and Shoot — where the Libyan rebel army take hold of Curry’s subject. Yu moves from water shortage in Last Call at the Oasis (read our review) to the biggest pandemic of all; Misconception looks at the consequences...
On the docu front, we’ve got the latest from the likes of notable documentarians Marshall Curry and Jessica Yu. Think Ewan McGregor’s Long Way Round meets child solider movie for Curry’s awesomely titled Point and Shoot — where the Libyan rebel army take hold of Curry’s subject. Yu moves from water shortage in Last Call at the Oasis (read our review) to the biggest pandemic of all; Misconception looks at the consequences...
- 3/4/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The 13th Tribeca Film Festival has announced half its slate for next month’s New York celebration, which runs April 16-27. Culled from more than 6,000 submissions, Tribeca 2014 includes 55 world premieres, 37 first-time filmmakers, and 22 female directors. “Variously inspired by individual interests and experience and driven by an intense sensibility of style, the array of new filmmaking voices in this year’s competition is especially impressive and I think memorable,” said Frederic Boyer, Tribeca’s artistic director. “The range of American subcultures and international genres represented here are both eclectic and wide reaching.”
On April 17, Gabriel will open the World Narrative competition,...
On April 17, Gabriel will open the World Narrative competition,...
- 3/4/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
One of the highlights of the Göteborg International Film Festival, and indeed one of the highlights of our year so far, was catching up with David Mackenzie’s “Starred Up," which, if you missed our review first time out, you can read all about here. The unflinching but brutally human prison drama is based on a script by first-timer Jonathan Asser, a writer and poet by whose experiences inspired the film and the character of Oliver, the posh but dedicated volunteer inmate counselor. Starring breakout Jack O’Connell as the violent young Eric, Ben Mendelsohn as his also-incarcerated father Nev, and Rupert Friend as Oliver, the film is marked by its astonishingly strong performances, but also by the authenticity and hard-edged sensitivity of what is truly career-best work from the director. Previously best known for Brit indies “Hallam Foe” and “Young Adam,” Mackenzie himself could be said to be one...
- 2/4/2014
- by Jessica Kiang
- The Playlist
What a glorious, freezing, snowy Swedish Monday at the Göteborg International Film Festival it was, because, for a non-Sundance attendee like me, it yielded the first truly great film of 2014. “Starred Up” (which, Ok fine, actually premiered at Telluride last year) is an instant classic of the prison movie genre, that makes a bona fide breakthrough star of its lead Jack O’Connell (best known for British TV series “Skins”), while propelling director David Mackenzie’s previously solid career (which included highlights “Hallam Foe” and “Young Adam”) straight to Boss level in one fell swoop. Oh, and it also confirms, in case anyone were in danger of forgetting, that however often you cast Ben Mendelsohn as a violent, unpredictable scumbag, he’ll find a way to amaze/terrify you anew every time. If you’re superlative-averse you might want to stop reading now, because they aren’t going to dry up anytime soon.
- 1/28/2014
- by Jessica Kiang
- The Playlist
Making its debut out in Toronto last year to very promising early reviews, David Mackenzie’s Starred Up has been impressing audiences since the word go.
The British prison drama had its UK bow at the London Film Festival – you can read our review here – and went on to lead the 2013 British Independent Film Awards with eight nominations.
Led by the emerging young actor Jack O’Connell (Skins, 300: Rise of an Empire), a new trailer has debuted online, as well as the UK quad poster via Empire, giving us a look at what promises to be a brutal and gritty drama.
Eric (newcomer Jack O’Connell) arrives at his new prison cell with his explosive temper intact. His first priority is to handcraft a weapon for protection against older inmates. But after a violent incident, Eric barely escapes a brutal punishment from the guards. He is saved only by Oliver,...
The British prison drama had its UK bow at the London Film Festival – you can read our review here – and went on to lead the 2013 British Independent Film Awards with eight nominations.
Led by the emerging young actor Jack O’Connell (Skins, 300: Rise of an Empire), a new trailer has debuted online, as well as the UK quad poster via Empire, giving us a look at what promises to be a brutal and gritty drama.
Eric (newcomer Jack O’Connell) arrives at his new prison cell with his explosive temper intact. His first priority is to handcraft a weapon for protection against older inmates. But after a violent incident, Eric barely escapes a brutal punishment from the guards. He is saved only by Oliver,...
- 1/24/2014
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Leaving its keys, wallet and assorted pocket sundries in a tray, stripping down to its birthday suit and submitting to inspection is this new trailer for acclaimed jail drama Starred Up. It's tough, unsparing and powerful stuff. And if you were wondering why director David Mackenzie's film is so titled, it'll help on that count, too. It's often easy to bundle a new prison flick into a cell marked 'gritty'. The sub-genre's archetypes - the hardcase screw; the shiv-bearing nutjob; the innocent inmate - are well-worn, but early word of mouth (not least from Empire's Toronto Film Festival coverage) has Mackenzie and debut screenwriter Jonathan Asser freshening things up considerably with Starred Up. The 18-rated drama doesn't pull any punches and this new poster also helps give a flavour of its mood. The film follows angry newbie inmate Eric (a much-raved-about Jack O'Connell) as he finds that being at Her Majesty's pleasure is,...
- 1/24/2014
- EmpireOnline
We talk to actor Dimitri Leonidas about working with George Clooney in The Monuments Men, and screenwriter Jonathan Asser about his forthcoming prison drama Starred Up
• See more of 2014's rising stars here
Dimitri Leonidas: 'It was surreal, being on set with people like George Clooney'
Dimitri Leonidas is scarred by the memory of his worst audition. It was for the lead part in a new production of Peter Shaffer's Equus a couple of years ago. He thought it had gone really well, and when his agent told him he'd got the part he understandably spent the weekend celebrating.
"Then I met up with a friend who said: 'What do you mean, you've got it? Alfie Allen's doing it.'"
There'd been some confusion: Leonidas had actually been auditioning to be the understudy. "It was just too heartbreaking," he says, smiling.
He can afford to laugh about it now.
• See more of 2014's rising stars here
Dimitri Leonidas: 'It was surreal, being on set with people like George Clooney'
Dimitri Leonidas is scarred by the memory of his worst audition. It was for the lead part in a new production of Peter Shaffer's Equus a couple of years ago. He thought it had gone really well, and when his agent told him he'd got the part he understandably spent the weekend celebrating.
"Then I met up with a friend who said: 'What do you mean, you've got it? Alfie Allen's doing it.'"
There'd been some confusion: Leonidas had actually been auditioning to be the understudy. "It was just too heartbreaking," he says, smiling.
He can afford to laugh about it now.
- 1/5/2014
- by Elizabeth Day, Tom Lamont
- The Guardian - Film News
A visceral, swaggering performance in the prison drama is set to help propel the former Skins star to stardom. He reveals why 2014 is lining up to be his big year – and why he's ready for it
Jack O'Connell is not pissing about. These are his words. He has just put in the performance of his career in prison drama Starred Up, he's shooting Angelina Jolie's Unbroken – an account of the life of Olympic runner and second-world-war hero Louis Zamperini – in which he again takes the lead, and he's about to tackle a blockbuster with Zack Snyder in 300: Rise of an Empire. He has been acting for 10 years. He's done with partying – he's ready to justify himself. He's intense and focused, older and wiser than the kid who came up through the ranks of the E4 teen drama Skins. He's 23 years old.
I meet O'Connell at the tail end...
Jack O'Connell is not pissing about. These are his words. He has just put in the performance of his career in prison drama Starred Up, he's shooting Angelina Jolie's Unbroken – an account of the life of Olympic runner and second-world-war hero Louis Zamperini – in which he again takes the lead, and he's about to tackle a blockbuster with Zack Snyder in 300: Rise of an Empire. He has been acting for 10 years. He's done with partying – he's ready to justify himself. He's intense and focused, older and wiser than the kid who came up through the ranks of the E4 teen drama Skins. He's 23 years old.
I meet O'Connell at the tail end...
- 1/3/2014
- by Henry Barnes
- The Guardian - Film News
Sean Ellis's Metro Manila was the big winner at last night's Moët British Independent Film Awards.
The film, which centres on a family who flee the rice fields of the Philippines to start a new life in Manila, won Best Director, Best Achievement in Production and Best British Independent Film.
The Best Actor prize went to James McAvoy for Filth, while Le Week-End's Lindsay Duncan took home the Best Actress award. Imogen Poots collected the Supporting Actress gong for The Look of Love and Ben Mendelsohn won Best Supporting Actor for Starred Up.
Special awards on the night were handed to Julie Walters, who took the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution to British film, and Paul Greengrass, recipient of the Variety Award for helping to shine the world spotlight on the UK.
The Bifa winners in full are as follows:
Best British Independent Film
Metro Manila -...
The film, which centres on a family who flee the rice fields of the Philippines to start a new life in Manila, won Best Director, Best Achievement in Production and Best British Independent Film.
The Best Actor prize went to James McAvoy for Filth, while Le Week-End's Lindsay Duncan took home the Best Actress award. Imogen Poots collected the Supporting Actress gong for The Look of Love and Ben Mendelsohn won Best Supporting Actor for Starred Up.
Special awards on the night were handed to Julie Walters, who took the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution to British film, and Paul Greengrass, recipient of the Variety Award for helping to shine the world spotlight on the UK.
The Bifa winners in full are as follows:
Best British Independent Film
Metro Manila -...
- 12/9/2013
- Digital Spy
This evening in London the winners of the 2013 British Independent Film Awards were announced and we were on hand to interview the great and good as they arrived to one of the highlights of the British film year.
Once again it was a major showcase for the wealth of emerging talent in this country with some of the year’s best films getting a shout-out in the awards. Each year the British Independent scene grows stronger and there is a greater spotlight shone on it each year, these awards are an indication of that strength.
Stefan Pape was our man on the red carpet and you can find his interviews below. More interviews will be added throughout the night.
Julie Walters
Tom Hardy
Eddie Marsan
Jim Broadbent
Ken Loach
Paul Greengrass
Steve Coogan
Will Poulter
Lesley Manville
Mark Strong
Saoirse Ronan
Shaun Thomas and Conner Chapman
Shirley Henderson
Tina Gharavi...
Once again it was a major showcase for the wealth of emerging talent in this country with some of the year’s best films getting a shout-out in the awards. Each year the British Independent scene grows stronger and there is a greater spotlight shone on it each year, these awards are an indication of that strength.
Stefan Pape was our man on the red carpet and you can find his interviews below. More interviews will be added throughout the night.
Julie Walters
Tom Hardy
Eddie Marsan
Jim Broadbent
Ken Loach
Paul Greengrass
Steve Coogan
Will Poulter
Lesley Manville
Mark Strong
Saoirse Ronan
Shaun Thomas and Conner Chapman
Shirley Henderson
Tina Gharavi...
- 12/9/2013
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
It’s a very important night for British film. Celebrating, in a way the BAFTAs can’t, the vital new talents emerging in this country. The British Independent Film Awards is one of our favourite nights of the year, as much a routemap for the people to watch over the next year as it is a celebration of them.
The sheer variety of films nominated is evidence of the potent creative landscape of Britain. From the crowd pleasing and inspirational journey of Steve Coogan and Judi Dench in Philomena, through the haunted and surreal discovery of Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, to the barren urban clash of Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant this country has an independent film industry to be proud of.
There was a great swell of support for one film in particular but the awards point to many successes here. It’s great to see...
The sheer variety of films nominated is evidence of the potent creative landscape of Britain. From the crowd pleasing and inspirational journey of Steve Coogan and Judi Dench in Philomena, through the haunted and surreal discovery of Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, to the barren urban clash of Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant this country has an independent film industry to be proud of.
There was a great swell of support for one film in particular but the awards point to many successes here. It’s great to see...
- 12/8/2013
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Fox Searchlight to release Bifa nominee, starring Jack O’Connell and Homeland’s Rupert Friend.
Prison drama Starred Up, which last week led the British Independent Film Awards (Bifa) nominations with eight nods, is to be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on March 21 2014 distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
It is the story of a young man, Eric (Jack O’Connell), who is prematurely transferred from a young offenders’ institution to adult jail for being too violent. As he struggles to assert himself against the prison officers and the other inmates, he has to confront his own father Nev (Ben Mendelsohn), a man who has spent most of his life in jail.
As Eric forges allegiances with other prisoners, and learns that his rage can be overcome through his work with prison therapist Oliver (Rupert Friend), he discovers the new rules of survival. But there are forces at work that threaten to destroy him.[p...
Prison drama Starred Up, which last week led the British Independent Film Awards (Bifa) nominations with eight nods, is to be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on March 21 2014 distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
It is the story of a young man, Eric (Jack O’Connell), who is prematurely transferred from a young offenders’ institution to adult jail for being too violent. As he struggles to assert himself against the prison officers and the other inmates, he has to confront his own father Nev (Ben Mendelsohn), a man who has spent most of his life in jail.
As Eric forges allegiances with other prisoners, and learns that his rage can be overcome through his work with prison therapist Oliver (Rupert Friend), he discovers the new rules of survival. But there are forces at work that threaten to destroy him.[p...
- 11/19/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Judi Dench, Scarlett Johansson: 2013 British Independent Film Awards nominations (photo: Judi Dench in ‘Philomena’) Since the likes of Judi Dench, Scarlett Johansson, James McAvoy, and Tom Hardy are in the running for the 2013 British Independent Film Awards, expect at least a little overlapping between the determinedly indie-oriented BIFAs and other awards season nominees and/or winners elsewhere. (See also: “Judi Dench Sole Bifa Nominee Surely to Get BAFTA, Oscar Nominations.”) Judi Dench and Scarlett Johansson are competing in the Best Actress category; Dench for Stephen Frears’ Philomena, Johansson for Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin. Tom Hardy and James McAvoy are in the running for the Best Actor British Independent Film Award; Hardy for Steven Knight’s Locke, McAvoy for Jon S. Baird’s Filth. The top Bifa 2013 movie, however, is David Mackenzie’s Starred Up, with a total of eight nominations including Best British Independent Film, Best Director,...
- 11/14/2013
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
Jack O'Connell and Ben Mendelsohn have both been nominated for BIFAs for Starred Up The nominations for the 16th annual British Independent Film Awards have been announced, with David Mackenzie and Jonathan Asser's prison drama Starred Up leading the pack.
His film about father and son convicts has eight nominations, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay for Jonathan Asser, Best Actor for Jack O’Connell, and two Best Supporting Actor nominations for Rupert Friend and Ben Mendelsohn.
Clio Barnard's tale of young jealousy The Selfish Giant picked up 7 nominations and Filth, Metro Manila and Le Week-end all netted five nominations each.
Joint directors of the awards Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson said: “We would like to thank our dedicated members who viewed over 200 films, in an extremely competitive year. The variety of films submitted reached a new level this year with films covering a...
His film about father and son convicts has eight nominations, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay for Jonathan Asser, Best Actor for Jack O’Connell, and two Best Supporting Actor nominations for Rupert Friend and Ben Mendelsohn.
Clio Barnard's tale of young jealousy The Selfish Giant picked up 7 nominations and Filth, Metro Manila and Le Week-end all netted five nominations each.
Joint directors of the awards Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson said: “We would like to thank our dedicated members who viewed over 200 films, in an extremely competitive year. The variety of films submitted reached a new level this year with films covering a...
- 11/12/2013
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
While the Oscars and BAFTAs take up a fair share of the awards spotlight the British Independent Film Awards (or the BIFAs as they are lovingly referred to) are, to our mind, a far more exciting and precise barometer of the state of British film.
It matters not how many La-based golden statues are picked up by the British each February, it is the winners and nominees of the BIFAs which point, once again, to a thrilling year in British film with invention and stark, raving talent at the forefront.
Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant is rightly garlanded with nominations, as is David Mackenzie’s Lff-choice for many, Starred Up. Perhaps the more noticeable names of the Philomena cast and crew are present an dcorrect however it’s the slew of nominations for Jon Baird’s Filth and Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin which are very gratifying. Scarlett Johansson...
It matters not how many La-based golden statues are picked up by the British each February, it is the winners and nominees of the BIFAs which point, once again, to a thrilling year in British film with invention and stark, raving talent at the forefront.
Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant is rightly garlanded with nominations, as is David Mackenzie’s Lff-choice for many, Starred Up. Perhaps the more noticeable names of the Philomena cast and crew are present an dcorrect however it’s the slew of nominations for Jon Baird’s Filth and Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin which are very gratifying. Scarlett Johansson...
- 11/11/2013
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The nominations for the 16th annual Moët British Independent Film Awards -- the BIFAs for short and basically the UK's answer to the Spirit Awards -- were announced this morning in London. David Mackenzie's prison drama "Starred Up" -- just picked up for Us release by Tribeca Film (who also distributed the top nominee at the European Film Awards this past weekend) -- led the list, taking 8 nominations including Best British Independent Film, Best Director for , Best Screenplay for Jonathan Asser, Best Actor for Jack O’Connell, and two Best Supporting Actor nominations for Rupert Friend and Ben Mendelsohn. Just behind was Clio Barnard's acclaimed drama "The Selfish Giant," which picked up 7 nominations. "Filth," "Metro Manila" and "Le Week-end" all picked up 5 nominations each. British filmmaker Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" wasn't eligible in most categories due to it being a primarily Us production, though it didn't...
- 11/11/2013
- by Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
Prison drama starring Jack O'Connell leads the field with eight nods, with The Selfish Giant just behind with seven
• The Selfish Giant trailer
• First look review: Under the Skin
Starred Up, the prison drama starring Jack O'Connell and directed by David Mackenzie, has emerged somewhat unexpectedly at the head of the pack of the nominations for the British Independent film awards (BIFAs).
Starred Up, which received its world premiere at the Toronto film festival, but has yet to be released in the UK, received eight nominations, including best British independent film, best director for Mackenzie, and best actor for O'Connell.
Close behind with seven nominations came The Selfish Giant, the acclaimed Oscar Wilde adaptation directed by Clio Barnard, which included a most promising newcomer nod for its two young lead actors, Conner Chapman and Shaun Thomas.
More established names in the nominations list included Judi Dench and Steve Coogan for...
• The Selfish Giant trailer
• First look review: Under the Skin
Starred Up, the prison drama starring Jack O'Connell and directed by David Mackenzie, has emerged somewhat unexpectedly at the head of the pack of the nominations for the British Independent film awards (BIFAs).
Starred Up, which received its world premiere at the Toronto film festival, but has yet to be released in the UK, received eight nominations, including best British independent film, best director for Mackenzie, and best actor for O'Connell.
Close behind with seven nominations came The Selfish Giant, the acclaimed Oscar Wilde adaptation directed by Clio Barnard, which included a most promising newcomer nod for its two young lead actors, Conner Chapman and Shaun Thomas.
More established names in the nominations list included Judi Dench and Steve Coogan for...
- 11/11/2013
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Starred Up leads British Independent Film Awards noms, followed by The Selfish Giant. Scarlett Johansson and Judi Dench among Best Actress nominees.
David Mackenzie’s Starred Up leads the Moet British Independent Film Awards nominations with eight nods, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor for Jack O’Connell, and two Best Supporting Actor nominations.
The Selfish Giant picked up seven nominations while Filth, Metro Manila and Le Week-end picked up five nominations each.
Best Film nominations comprise Metro Manila, Philomena, The Selfish Giant, Starred Up and Le Week-end.
Nominations for Best Actress are Judi Dench for Philomena, Lindsay Duncan for Le Week-end, Scarlett Johansson for Under The Skin, Felicity Jones for The Invisible Woman and Saoirse Ronan for How I Live Now.
Along with O’Connell for Starred Up, Best Actor award nominees include Jim Broadbent for Le Week-end, Steve Coogan for Philomena, Tom Hardy for Locke and James McAvoy for Filth...
David Mackenzie’s Starred Up leads the Moet British Independent Film Awards nominations with eight nods, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor for Jack O’Connell, and two Best Supporting Actor nominations.
The Selfish Giant picked up seven nominations while Filth, Metro Manila and Le Week-end picked up five nominations each.
Best Film nominations comprise Metro Manila, Philomena, The Selfish Giant, Starred Up and Le Week-end.
Nominations for Best Actress are Judi Dench for Philomena, Lindsay Duncan for Le Week-end, Scarlett Johansson for Under The Skin, Felicity Jones for The Invisible Woman and Saoirse Ronan for How I Live Now.
Along with O’Connell for Starred Up, Best Actor award nominees include Jim Broadbent for Le Week-end, Steve Coogan for Philomena, Tom Hardy for Locke and James McAvoy for Filth...
- 11/11/2013
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
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