Upticks in the volume or quality of movies about American politics aren’t particularly good news; historically, it’s a pretty reliable warning sign that things in the real world aren’t going so well. And so, in the 20 years since IndieWire launched, we’ve seen a barrage of great movies about American politics. Yay?
Watch enough of them, and it’s hard to imagine how this country actually functions (or endures). These films can form a grim echo chamber that might seem it leaves us with little to celebrate.
And yet, there’s real joy to be found if you know where to look. Many of these movies are comedies — our increasingly absurd times inspire increasingly absurd movies. “Wag the Dog” seemed like outlandish satire when it premiered in 1997, but 19 years later it feels like a stone’s throw away from the truth. On the other hand, if 1997 audiences...
Watch enough of them, and it’s hard to imagine how this country actually functions (or endures). These films can form a grim echo chamber that might seem it leaves us with little to celebrate.
And yet, there’s real joy to be found if you know where to look. Many of these movies are comedies — our increasingly absurd times inspire increasingly absurd movies. “Wag the Dog” seemed like outlandish satire when it premiered in 1997, but 19 years later it feels like a stone’s throw away from the truth. On the other hand, if 1997 audiences...
- 6/29/2016
- by David Ehrlich, Chris O'Falt, Liz Shannon Miller, Ben Travers, Eric Kohn, Steve Greene, Kate Erbland, Zack Sharf, Kate Halliwell, Sarah Colvin, Russell Goldman and Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: On the heels of the premiere of R.J. Cutler‘s well-received documentary The World According To Dick Cheney on Showtime, the pay cable network has signed a two-year, first-look deal with the Emmy-winning filmmaker for him to produce and direct new documentaries. The first film under the pact will be a profile of legendary actor Marlon Brando, which Cutler will executive produce, along with executive producer John Battsek (Searching For Sugarman) and director Stevan Riley (Fire In Babylon). Cutler’s documentary credits include the Oscar-nominated The War Room, Emmy-nominated A Perfect Candidate, The September Issue and Emmy-winning series American High. On the scripted side, Cutler, repped by CAA and attorney Jeanne Newman, has a first-look deal with Lionsgate TV and executive produces/directs the studio’s ABC drama series Nashville, and just directed the CBS drama pilot The Ordained. The World According To Dick Cheney examined the pivotal role...
- 4/26/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Certitude and conviction in a politician is a double-edged sword. If you disagree with the person, you want him or her to be conciliatory, cooperative and amenable to compromise. If you agree with the person, you want him or her to stand strong and defend your shared policies and principles.
Few politicians of the modern era exemplify this better than Richard Cheney. There are those who consider him a valiant warrior for the cause, while others see him as a combination of Machiavelli and Darth Vader.
On Friday, March 15 -- intentionally, or not, also the Ides of March -- Showtime premieres "The World According to Dick Cheney," a profile of the controversial vice president who served under President George W. Bush after a career that included stints in Congress, as White House chief of staff (under Gerald Ford) and as secretary of defense (under George H.W. Bush).
Harvard-educated filmmaker R.J. Cutler ("Nashville,...
Few politicians of the modern era exemplify this better than Richard Cheney. There are those who consider him a valiant warrior for the cause, while others see him as a combination of Machiavelli and Darth Vader.
On Friday, March 15 -- intentionally, or not, also the Ides of March -- Showtime premieres "The World According to Dick Cheney," a profile of the controversial vice president who served under President George W. Bush after a career that included stints in Congress, as White House chief of staff (under Gerald Ford) and as secretary of defense (under George H.W. Bush).
Harvard-educated filmmaker R.J. Cutler ("Nashville,...
- 3/15/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
On July 10, 2012, former WWE writer Andrew Goldstein put the current state of professional wrestling (which we all know means WWE) in perspective by writing an article entitled “I Can Finally See John Cena” (which I highly recommend reading before proceeding with this post). To quickly summarize, Goldstein pointed out that John Cena was basically the modern-day Bob Backlund, the one from the Late 70′s, not the crazy guy from 1994, in that despite being the top draw for the WWE in the last 10 years or so, Cena’s era wasn’t so much an “era” as it was a transitional period.
As was the case during Bob Backlund’s five year reign as WWF Champion. Backlund’s era bridged the gap between the golden age of Bruno Sammartino to the Hulkamania/Rock N’ Wrestling craze. The most interesting part of that article was that, at the time, Goldstein assumed that we...
As was the case during Bob Backlund’s five year reign as WWF Champion. Backlund’s era bridged the gap between the golden age of Bruno Sammartino to the Hulkamania/Rock N’ Wrestling craze. The most interesting part of that article was that, at the time, Goldstein assumed that we...
- 1/15/2013
- by James Martinez
- Obsessed with Film
Terry O'Quinn as Gavin Doran in "666 Park Avenue" (ABC/Andrew Eccles)
ABC‘s slate of new shows for fall has a strange flavor to it, and it’s going to be a bumpy ride. The network has about as many new shows as returning ones (if you count all the midseasons), and a good percentage of the returning offerings are a year old or less, making this look a bit like a rebuilding year.
Not only is it a rebuilding year, but it’s the year of bringing back every actor and actress who ever had a decent run on a show before. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a network’s new season slate that was so crammed with people returning from something else. If you can’t make it good, I suppose, make sure viewers recognize the faces.
It’s tricky to get a solid feel...
ABC‘s slate of new shows for fall has a strange flavor to it, and it’s going to be a bumpy ride. The network has about as many new shows as returning ones (if you count all the midseasons), and a good percentage of the returning offerings are a year old or less, making this look a bit like a rebuilding year.
Not only is it a rebuilding year, but it’s the year of bringing back every actor and actress who ever had a decent run on a show before. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a network’s new season slate that was so crammed with people returning from something else. If you can’t make it good, I suppose, make sure viewers recognize the faces.
It’s tricky to get a solid feel...
- 5/22/2012
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
For the new sci-fi/horror Christmas stocking stuffer "The Darkest Hour" producers at Summit Entertainment are banking on a few of you out there to have a lust in your heart to see hot young twenty-something actors evaporated by aliens. Holiday counter-programming indeed.
While a creature from outer space being a floating lightning bolt (as opposed to the hundredth iteration of the H.R. Giger alien design) is pretty innovative, the real appeal of the movie is the locale: Moscow. Setting an invasion pic in Russia's capital city was a shrewd move, especially since we've seen New York and L.A. walloped so many times extraterrestrials must have an E-ZPass for the various toll roads.
Now comes this viral video to promote the film, showing an unlucky reporter getting a taste of the bitter pill these electric bastards are making the world swallow. A perfect candidate for "Russian News Bloopers Volume...
While a creature from outer space being a floating lightning bolt (as opposed to the hundredth iteration of the H.R. Giger alien design) is pretty innovative, the real appeal of the movie is the locale: Moscow. Setting an invasion pic in Russia's capital city was a shrewd move, especially since we've seen New York and L.A. walloped so many times extraterrestrials must have an E-ZPass for the various toll roads.
Now comes this viral video to promote the film, showing an unlucky reporter getting a taste of the bitter pill these electric bastards are making the world swallow. A perfect candidate for "Russian News Bloopers Volume...
- 12/22/2011
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
I'm all for documentary filmmakers making the occasional fiction film, particularly if it helps them fund another non-fiction film later on. But why must so many of the fiction films documentarians choose to make be trashy romantic comedies and teen dramas? Case in point: according to Variety, R.J. Cutler is set to direct an adaptation of Melissa de la Cruz's sex-filled Hamptons-set young adult novel The Au Pairs. A few reviews I've seen of the 2004 publication, which spawned a few sequels (Skinny Dipping, Sun Kissed and Crazy Hot) recommended it for fans of Gossip Girl.
Cutler is best known recently for his Oscar-shortlisted doc The September Issue, which takes a behind the scenes look at the production of every mailman's least favorite issue of Vogue magazine and its powerful editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. Previously he directed the Oliver North campaign doc A Perfect Candidate. Other films Cutler has been involved with...
Cutler is best known recently for his Oscar-shortlisted doc The September Issue, which takes a behind the scenes look at the production of every mailman's least favorite issue of Vogue magazine and its powerful editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. Previously he directed the Oliver North campaign doc A Perfect Candidate. Other films Cutler has been involved with...
- 3/3/2010
- by Christopher Campbell
- Cinematical
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