Walter Hill is one of the great action and genre directors of the last 40 years, having made classics like “The Driver,” “The Warriors,” directed the pilot of HBO’s “Deadwood,” and produced, guided and rewrote the first three “Alien” films. With his latest film, “The Assignment” (originally titled “REAssignment” when it premiered at Tiff last fall), Hill finds himself in the unusual position of receiving sharp criticism for being transphobic.
Read More: ‘Rogue One’ Director Gareth Edwards on Avoiding Hollywood’s Addiction to Numbing Visual Effects
“Want to know the truth, I don’t think it is very controversial,” said director Walter Hill, when he was a guest on IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “It’s been attacked mainly by people that haven’t seen the movie.”
In “The Assignment,” Frank Kitchen (Michelle Rodriguez) is a hitman, who one day wakes up in a seedy hotel room stunned to discover...
Read More: ‘Rogue One’ Director Gareth Edwards on Avoiding Hollywood’s Addiction to Numbing Visual Effects
“Want to know the truth, I don’t think it is very controversial,” said director Walter Hill, when he was a guest on IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “It’s been attacked mainly by people that haven’t seen the movie.”
In “The Assignment,” Frank Kitchen (Michelle Rodriguez) is a hitman, who one day wakes up in a seedy hotel room stunned to discover...
- 4/7/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Gareth Edwards grew up dreaming he would follow in the footsteps of his hero Steven Spielberg: He’d go to film school and make a short that would gain him entry into Hollywood.
“That never happened because my short film was rubbish,” said Edwards, who was guest on IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit.
Beyond his film being bad, Edwards realized the competition to be a director had multiplied since Spielberg had started out and it took more than a good short to get a foot in the door in Hollywood. Edwards’ first short, which he made with a his computer animator roommate, was one of the first student works ever to mix CGI with live action. The experience opened Edwards’ eyes to the computer as being the future of filmmaking and he now saw his path to Hollywood could be to make his own films from home, doing the editing and effects himself.
“That never happened because my short film was rubbish,” said Edwards, who was guest on IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit.
Beyond his film being bad, Edwards realized the competition to be a director had multiplied since Spielberg had started out and it took more than a good short to get a foot in the door in Hollywood. Edwards’ first short, which he made with a his computer animator roommate, was one of the first student works ever to mix CGI with live action. The experience opened Edwards’ eyes to the computer as being the future of filmmaking and he now saw his path to Hollywood could be to make his own films from home, doing the editing and effects himself.
- 4/5/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Manuel is working his way through all the Lgbt-themed HBO productions.
Last week we looked at the recent doc Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures which works as a nice primer on the famed photographer and, as is par for the course for films on gay icons from a certain era, as a portrait of a man working tirelessly to make the most of his ever winnowing time: Mapplethorpe died at age 42 of AIDS complications. We’re not going too far afield this week, as we’re focusing on a documentary on “America’s angriest AIDS activist” in Jean Carlomusto’s Larry Kramer in Love and Anger.
Kramer should be familiar to you. We’ve previously encountered him and talked about his righteous anger when we talked about The Normal Heart, and by that point he had already made HBO appearances in The Out List, Vito, and Outrage. That enough should...
Last week we looked at the recent doc Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures which works as a nice primer on the famed photographer and, as is par for the course for films on gay icons from a certain era, as a portrait of a man working tirelessly to make the most of his ever winnowing time: Mapplethorpe died at age 42 of AIDS complications. We’re not going too far afield this week, as we’re focusing on a documentary on “America’s angriest AIDS activist” in Jean Carlomusto’s Larry Kramer in Love and Anger.
Kramer should be familiar to you. We’ve previously encountered him and talked about his righteous anger when we talked about The Normal Heart, and by that point he had already made HBO appearances in The Out List, Vito, and Outrage. That enough should...
- 4/13/2016
- by Manuel Betancourt
- FilmExperience
Welcome to the March 5, 2015 edition of Outrage Watch, HitFix's (almost) daily rundown of all the things folks are peeved about in entertainment. Today's top story: Method Man is speaking his truth -- loudly and with a lot of curse words. After hearing that his former Wu-Tang clan cohorts would be auctioning off the only copy of the band's secret "final" album "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" for millions of dollars -- with the caveat that the buyer will not have the right to make money off the album for 88 years -- Method Man did not hold back in an interview with Xxl magazine. “Fuck that album,” said the rapper. “I’m tired of this shit and I know everybody else is tired of it, too. Fuck that album, if that’s what they are doing. I haven’t heard anything like that, but if they’re doing crap like that,...
- 3/5/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Cinematographer Thaddeus Wadleigh and director Kirby Dick have previously collaborated on seminal and important non-fiction films that directed attention and effectuated change with regards to controversial social issues. Outrage in 2009 looked at gay politicians who vote anti-gay legislation. The Invisible War (2012) tore open the discussion of rape in the military. Their latest, The Hunting Ground, looks at the especially timely issue of campus rape and its coverup. In our interview below, Wadleigh — who is co-credited on this new film and on The Invisible War with Kristin Johnson — talks about the specific challenges of shooting a film […]...
- 1/23/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Cinematographer Thaddeus Wadleigh and director Kirby Dick have previously collaborated on seminal and important non-fiction films that directed attention and effectuated change with regards to controversial social issues. Outrage in 2009 looked at gay politicians who vote anti-gay legislation. The Invisible War (2012) tore open the discussion of rape in the military. Their latest, The Hunting Ground, looks at the especially timely issue of campus rape and its coverup. In our interview below, Wadleigh — who is co-credited on this new film and on The Invisible War with Kristin Johnson — talks about the specific challenges of shooting a film […]...
- 1/23/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
It is relatively easy to move through the day without acknowledging the more disturbing and horrific trends that creep into society, and it could be argued that this natural tendency to follow the path of least resistance is at least part of the reason why those trends continue to creep. Fortunately, documentary filmmakers are prepared to lift those especially gnarly rocks and shine a light on the murky proceedings underneath, and that is what we have in The Hunting Ground.
Writer-director Kirby Dick has made a lengthy career of confronting those issues that many avoid. 2006’s This Film Is Not Yet Rated examined the questionable policies of the American movie ratings board, 2009’s Outrage looked at “closeted politicians” who lobby for anti-gay legislation in America, and most recently, 2012’s The Invisible War cast an uncompromising gaze on the issue of the rape of soldiers in the American military. It is...
Writer-director Kirby Dick has made a lengthy career of confronting those issues that many avoid. 2006’s This Film Is Not Yet Rated examined the questionable policies of the American movie ratings board, 2009’s Outrage looked at “closeted politicians” who lobby for anti-gay legislation in America, and most recently, 2012’s The Invisible War cast an uncompromising gaze on the issue of the rape of soldiers in the American military. It is...
- 1/23/2015
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
Pen American Center and nearly 50 distinguished novelists, playwrights and authors are the latest group imploring Sony to release “The Interview,” in an open letter posted Monday.
“Pen is appalled at the intrusive, criminal and profoundly menacing reprisals and threats that Sony Pictures has endured as a result of producing and planning to distribute ‘The Interview,'” said the letter, which was signed by the likes of Salman Rushdie, Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Egan and Tony Kushner.
See photos: Sony Hack Attack Timeline: From First Cyberbreach and Leaks to ‘The Interview’ Dropped (Photos)
“Pen has long stood with writers and creators who...
“Pen is appalled at the intrusive, criminal and profoundly menacing reprisals and threats that Sony Pictures has endured as a result of producing and planning to distribute ‘The Interview,'” said the letter, which was signed by the likes of Salman Rushdie, Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Egan and Tony Kushner.
See photos: Sony Hack Attack Timeline: From First Cyberbreach and Leaks to ‘The Interview’ Dropped (Photos)
“Pen has long stood with writers and creators who...
- 12/23/2014
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
The list of Kirby Dick signed films that have made it into the festival date back to 1997s’ Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist and since then the assembly line has churned out Chain Camera, Derrida, Twist of Faith, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, Outrage and most recently, The Invisible War. His latest, promises to be another distress call. Going by workshop titles of “The Campus Project” and “Campus Assaults”, this received coin and was part of the 2013 Sundance Documentary Film Grant and 2013 Catalyst Weekend. Three weeks back, and certainly in lieu of the upcoming festival, RADiUS and CNN Films teamed for a pick-up: a theatrical run in 2015, followed by broadcast on CNN.
Gist: Undergraduate assault survivors fight to pursue education and justice in this groundbreaking project that exposes the epidemic of rape on U.S. campuses, their institutional cover-ups, and the devastating toll they take on students and families.
Gist: Undergraduate assault survivors fight to pursue education and justice in this groundbreaking project that exposes the epidemic of rape on U.S. campuses, their institutional cover-ups, and the devastating toll they take on students and families.
- 11/14/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
We’re back! Full of turkey, ready to sit down in front of the TV and zone out with a full Netflix queue. What’s the latest and greatest to hit the streaming service du jour? There are some major Hollywood hits like “Skyfall,” “Dances with Wolves,” and “Apocalypse Now” new to the Netflix universe but we here at Hc try to focus on what you might not have seen.
Here are ten flicks to add to your queue that could have fallen under your movie radar if we weren’t here to pick them up. You’re welcome. There’s a foreign film, two documentaries, a sci-fi flick, and even a musical. Pick your favorites. Or just watch all ten.
The American
“The American”
Netflix Description:
On the heels of a rough assignment, assassin Jack declares that his next job will be his last. Dispatched to a small Italian town to await further orders,...
Here are ten flicks to add to your queue that could have fallen under your movie radar if we weren’t here to pick them up. You’re welcome. There’s a foreign film, two documentaries, a sci-fi flick, and even a musical. Pick your favorites. Or just watch all ten.
The American
“The American”
Netflix Description:
On the heels of a rough assignment, assassin Jack declares that his next job will be his last. Dispatched to a small Italian town to await further orders,...
- 12/2/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
VI Issue II
Join us twice weekly. Send us links to your sizzle reels and film sites.
The Invisible War written and directed by Kirby Dick
The Invisible War is a documentary about one of America’s most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. The film paints a startling picture of the extent of the problem— the film claims that today a female soldier in combat zones is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire. The filmmakers’ state that the Department of Defense estimates there were 22,800 violent sex crimes in the military in 2011, that 20% of all active‐duty female soldiers are sexually assaulted and that female soldiers aged 18 to 21 account for more than half of the victims.
Focusing on the powerfully emotional stories of rape victims, The Invisible War suggests a systemic cover-up of military sex crimes by the military. The film chronicles women’s struggles to rebuild their lives and fight for justice within and outside the military and features interviews with high-ranking military officials and members of Congress that reveal the conditions that exist for rape in the military, its long history, and suggests what can be done to bring about much-needed change.
Oscar and Emmy nominated director Kirby Dick (Outrage, This Film Is Not Yet Rated), found the inspiration for The Invisible War from a 2007 Salon.com article about women serving in Iraq entitled “The Private War of Women Soldiers,” by Columbia University journalism professor Helen Benedict. When Dick and Emmy-nominated producing partner Amy Ziering (Outrage) read Benedict's piece, they were astounded by the prevalence of sexual assault in the military.
This film is beautifully made, shot, directed and produced. It is one of the strongest films of the year. It shows that rape and other sexually based harassment seems to be wide spread in our military and that the military is unwilling to adjust its culture to effect the necessary change to provide a safe work environment for all of its members. The filmmakers make excellent choices in terms of who they interview, whose stories they tell. This is a strong advocacy film that can make a difference and start pushing the civilians who control our military to demand to make the necessary changes to protect the men and women who serve from each other. Frankly, it has to have a zero tolerance for any kind of harassment. With the striking of “don’t ask, don’t tell” the armed services are on their way to addressing this. The film was short listed for the documentary feature Academy Award.
Credits:
Director/Writer: Kirby Dick
Producers: Amy Ziering, Tanner King Barklow
Cinematography: Thaddeus Wadleigh, Kirsten Johnson
Music Supervisor: Dondi Bastone, Gary Calamar/Go
Editor, Associate Producer: Doug Blush
Executive Producer for Itvs: Sally Jo Fifer Cinedigm and Docurama Films
Revolution Reykjavík a short film by Isold Uggadottir
Gudfinna, a successful 58-year old mid-level employee of the Icelandic bank Landsbankinn, finds herself a victim of the economic failure, not only losing her job, but her lifesavings as well. Proud and independent, she struggles to shield her dire circumstances from her family members and friends. But as tensions in Icelandic society grow, so does her inner turmoil. She finds that she cannot deal with her increasingly desperate financial concerns and her ideas of self-worth. Slowly, Gudfinna, much like the Icelandic economy, finds herself metamorphosed into the utterly helpless being she never could have foreseen becoming.
Revolution Reykjavík is one of the outstanding short films of the 2011/12 year. One of the few works to screen at both New Directors and Telluride and dozens of other festivals, it is evident that Isold Uggadottir, while not yet a known name as a director, is tremendously talented. Watching Gudfinna fall apart is deeply moving. Her inner struggles are evident by the nuanced direction of a subtle performance. The film is nicely shot, edited and at 19 minutes it becomes a metaphor for the 2008 Icelandic banking disaster that wiped out tens of thousands of Icelanders and three of the major banks. It caused thousands of people to lose their jobs and created a political crisis for the country. Few portfolio works try for nuanced and subtle performances but are in-your-face testosterone fueled action works. This film is a keeper.
Director/ Writer’s Bio:
Isold Uggadottir is an Icelandic writer/director. Her four short films have been invited to over 120 international film festivals, including Telluride, Sundance and New Directors/New Films hosted by Lincoln Center & MoMA. Two of her films (Clean and Committed) have been honored with Icelandic Academy Awards for Best Short Film in 2010 and 2011, while Revolution Reykjavík and Family Reunion received nominations in 2012 and 2006. Additionally, Isold has received multiple international awards, most recently in Spain and Greece.
Isold holds an Mfa in writing and directing from Columbia University in New York, where she was honored with the Adrienne Shelly Award for Best Female Director. Screen International named her “one of the rising stars of Icelandic film.”
Credits:
Written and Directed: Isold Uggadottir
Producers: Snorri Thórisson, Isold Uggadottir
Director of Photography: Óskar Thór Axelsson
Editor: Isold Uggadottir
Academy announces 11 short films shortlisted for the Short Film Nomination
Because of a voting tie the Academy short listed 11 dramatic/fiction short films instead of 10. Culled from 125 submitted films, it is perhaps the best group of films entered in the last 30 years. These films range from a thesis work from Columbia’s University’s graduate film program to When You Find Me, directed by Bryce Howard, filmmaker Ron Howard’s 31 year old daughter, to the Danish 61 year old director Anders Walther with short film Oscar winner (and nominee) producer Tivi Magnusson for 9 Meter.
Following screenings in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in December, Branch members will select three to five nominees from among the 11 semi-finalists. It will be challenging for the committees to find the five best in this really impressive group of films. It is an embarrassment of solid filmmaking from a global group of filmmakers. Please note: I have not seen two of the short listed films and I am relying on others for their synopses to be accurate.
Below is an alphabetical listing of the short listed films, the key filmmakers, the country of production and a link to a clip. Take a look and make up your own mind:
A Fábrica (The Factory), Aly Muritiba, director (Grafo Audiovisual)
“An inmate convinces his mother to take a risk smuggling a cell phone for him into the penitentiary.
Length: 15 min.
Language: Portuguese
Country: Brazil
“Asad,” Bryan Buckley, director, and Mino Jarjoura, producer (Hungry Man)
A Somali boy must choose either the life of a pirate or that of a fisherman
Length: 17 min.
Language: Somali with English subtitles.
Country: USA
“Buzkashi Boys,” Sam French, director, and Ariel Nasr, producer (Afghan Film Project)
Two young boys dream of a better life. One is without parents and the other the father wants him to follow into his blacksmithing.
Length: 30 min.
Language: Pashto
Country: Afghanistan, USA Production
“Curfew,” Shawn Christensen, director (Fuzzy Logic Pictures)
A suicidal New Yorker, Richie’s attempt to end his life is interrupted by a call from his estranged sister asking him to babysit his niece for the evening.
Length: 20 min
Language: English
Country: USA
“Death of a Shadow” (Dood van een Schaduw),” Tom Van Avermaet, director, and Ellen De Waele, producer(Serendipity Films)
This highly produced sci-fi fantasy work is about a dead Wwi soldier stuck in the limbo between life and death who has to collect shadows to regain a second chance at life.
Length: 20 min.
Language: German
Country: Belgium
“Henry,” Yan England, director (Yan England) Henry, a concert pianist, has his life thrown into turmoil the day the love of his life mysteriously disappears. (Confession, I have not seen this film.)
Length: 21 min.
Language: English
Country: Canadian
“Kiruna-Kigali,” Goran Kapetanovic, director (Hepp Film Ab)
This tour‐de‐force Swedish short begins in a mist of frost and snow. A woman is driving to the hospital in Kiruna, the northernmost city of Sweden. Under the scorching sunlight of Kigali, Rwanda,another woman is being carried to the hospital on a stretcher. The two single mothers‐to‐be are on the verge of giving birth to a baby are thousands of miles apart, but share the same fear of entering the unknown world of motherhood. I think this is the film to beat.
Length: 15 min.
Language: Swedish/ Kinyarwanda
Country: Swedish/Rwanda
“The Night Shift Belongs to the Stars,” Silvia Bizio and Paola Porrini Bisson, producers (Oh! Pen LLC)
The story of Matteo (Enrico Lo Verso), a passionate mountain climber, and Sonia (Nastassja Kinski), a married woman, also in love with mountain, as they set out to climb a peak on the Dolomites, in Trentino, Italy. (Confession, I have not seen this film.)
Length: 24 min.
Language: English
Country: USA
“9 meter,” Anders Walther, director, and Tivi Magnusson, producer (M & M Productions A/S)
A boy tries to set a new record in the long jump as his mother fights her illness. (Confession, I have not seen this film.)
Length: 18 min.
Language: Danish
Country: Danish
“Salar,” Nicholas Greene, director, and Julie Buck, producer (Nicholas Greene)
In an isolated Bolivian village, on the edge of the vast Uyuni salt flats, two lives collide. This powerful film is my favorite of the 11 short listed films.
Length: 18 min.
Language: English
Country: USA
“When you find me,” Ron Howard, executive producer, and Bryce Dallas Howard, director (Freestyle Production Company)
This Cannon sponsored film looks at the story of two sisters whose childhood bond is tested by a tragedy that they were too young to understand at the time.
Length: 29 min.
Language: English
Country: USA
Mitchell Block specializes in conceiving, producing, marketing & distributing independent features & consulting. He is an expert in placing both completed works into distribution & working with producers to make projects fundable. He conducts regular workshops in film producing in Los Angeles and most recently in Maine, Russia and in Myanmar (Burma).
"Poster Girl," produced by Block was nominated for a Documentary Academy Award and selected by the Ida as the "Best" Doc Short 2011. It was also nominated for two Emmy Awards and aired on HBO. He is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series "Carrier,” a 10-hour series that he conceived & co-created. Block is a graduate of Tisch School and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Television Academy, a founding member of BAFTA-la and has been teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts since 1979. Currently Block teaches a required class in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program.
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Join us twice weekly. Send us links to your sizzle reels and film sites.
The Invisible War written and directed by Kirby Dick
The Invisible War is a documentary about one of America’s most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. The film paints a startling picture of the extent of the problem— the film claims that today a female soldier in combat zones is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire. The filmmakers’ state that the Department of Defense estimates there were 22,800 violent sex crimes in the military in 2011, that 20% of all active‐duty female soldiers are sexually assaulted and that female soldiers aged 18 to 21 account for more than half of the victims.
Focusing on the powerfully emotional stories of rape victims, The Invisible War suggests a systemic cover-up of military sex crimes by the military. The film chronicles women’s struggles to rebuild their lives and fight for justice within and outside the military and features interviews with high-ranking military officials and members of Congress that reveal the conditions that exist for rape in the military, its long history, and suggests what can be done to bring about much-needed change.
Oscar and Emmy nominated director Kirby Dick (Outrage, This Film Is Not Yet Rated), found the inspiration for The Invisible War from a 2007 Salon.com article about women serving in Iraq entitled “The Private War of Women Soldiers,” by Columbia University journalism professor Helen Benedict. When Dick and Emmy-nominated producing partner Amy Ziering (Outrage) read Benedict's piece, they were astounded by the prevalence of sexual assault in the military.
This film is beautifully made, shot, directed and produced. It is one of the strongest films of the year. It shows that rape and other sexually based harassment seems to be wide spread in our military and that the military is unwilling to adjust its culture to effect the necessary change to provide a safe work environment for all of its members. The filmmakers make excellent choices in terms of who they interview, whose stories they tell. This is a strong advocacy film that can make a difference and start pushing the civilians who control our military to demand to make the necessary changes to protect the men and women who serve from each other. Frankly, it has to have a zero tolerance for any kind of harassment. With the striking of “don’t ask, don’t tell” the armed services are on their way to addressing this. The film was short listed for the documentary feature Academy Award.
Credits:
Director/Writer: Kirby Dick
Producers: Amy Ziering, Tanner King Barklow
Cinematography: Thaddeus Wadleigh, Kirsten Johnson
Music Supervisor: Dondi Bastone, Gary Calamar/Go
Editor, Associate Producer: Doug Blush
Executive Producer for Itvs: Sally Jo Fifer Cinedigm and Docurama Films
Revolution Reykjavík a short film by Isold Uggadottir
Gudfinna, a successful 58-year old mid-level employee of the Icelandic bank Landsbankinn, finds herself a victim of the economic failure, not only losing her job, but her lifesavings as well. Proud and independent, she struggles to shield her dire circumstances from her family members and friends. But as tensions in Icelandic society grow, so does her inner turmoil. She finds that she cannot deal with her increasingly desperate financial concerns and her ideas of self-worth. Slowly, Gudfinna, much like the Icelandic economy, finds herself metamorphosed into the utterly helpless being she never could have foreseen becoming.
Revolution Reykjavík is one of the outstanding short films of the 2011/12 year. One of the few works to screen at both New Directors and Telluride and dozens of other festivals, it is evident that Isold Uggadottir, while not yet a known name as a director, is tremendously talented. Watching Gudfinna fall apart is deeply moving. Her inner struggles are evident by the nuanced direction of a subtle performance. The film is nicely shot, edited and at 19 minutes it becomes a metaphor for the 2008 Icelandic banking disaster that wiped out tens of thousands of Icelanders and three of the major banks. It caused thousands of people to lose their jobs and created a political crisis for the country. Few portfolio works try for nuanced and subtle performances but are in-your-face testosterone fueled action works. This film is a keeper.
Director/ Writer’s Bio:
Isold Uggadottir is an Icelandic writer/director. Her four short films have been invited to over 120 international film festivals, including Telluride, Sundance and New Directors/New Films hosted by Lincoln Center & MoMA. Two of her films (Clean and Committed) have been honored with Icelandic Academy Awards for Best Short Film in 2010 and 2011, while Revolution Reykjavík and Family Reunion received nominations in 2012 and 2006. Additionally, Isold has received multiple international awards, most recently in Spain and Greece.
Isold holds an Mfa in writing and directing from Columbia University in New York, where she was honored with the Adrienne Shelly Award for Best Female Director. Screen International named her “one of the rising stars of Icelandic film.”
Credits:
Written and Directed: Isold Uggadottir
Producers: Snorri Thórisson, Isold Uggadottir
Director of Photography: Óskar Thór Axelsson
Editor: Isold Uggadottir
Academy announces 11 short films shortlisted for the Short Film Nomination
Because of a voting tie the Academy short listed 11 dramatic/fiction short films instead of 10. Culled from 125 submitted films, it is perhaps the best group of films entered in the last 30 years. These films range from a thesis work from Columbia’s University’s graduate film program to When You Find Me, directed by Bryce Howard, filmmaker Ron Howard’s 31 year old daughter, to the Danish 61 year old director Anders Walther with short film Oscar winner (and nominee) producer Tivi Magnusson for 9 Meter.
Following screenings in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in December, Branch members will select three to five nominees from among the 11 semi-finalists. It will be challenging for the committees to find the five best in this really impressive group of films. It is an embarrassment of solid filmmaking from a global group of filmmakers. Please note: I have not seen two of the short listed films and I am relying on others for their synopses to be accurate.
Below is an alphabetical listing of the short listed films, the key filmmakers, the country of production and a link to a clip. Take a look and make up your own mind:
A Fábrica (The Factory), Aly Muritiba, director (Grafo Audiovisual)
“An inmate convinces his mother to take a risk smuggling a cell phone for him into the penitentiary.
Length: 15 min.
Language: Portuguese
Country: Brazil
“Asad,” Bryan Buckley, director, and Mino Jarjoura, producer (Hungry Man)
A Somali boy must choose either the life of a pirate or that of a fisherman
Length: 17 min.
Language: Somali with English subtitles.
Country: USA
“Buzkashi Boys,” Sam French, director, and Ariel Nasr, producer (Afghan Film Project)
Two young boys dream of a better life. One is without parents and the other the father wants him to follow into his blacksmithing.
Length: 30 min.
Language: Pashto
Country: Afghanistan, USA Production
“Curfew,” Shawn Christensen, director (Fuzzy Logic Pictures)
A suicidal New Yorker, Richie’s attempt to end his life is interrupted by a call from his estranged sister asking him to babysit his niece for the evening.
Length: 20 min
Language: English
Country: USA
“Death of a Shadow” (Dood van een Schaduw),” Tom Van Avermaet, director, and Ellen De Waele, producer(Serendipity Films)
This highly produced sci-fi fantasy work is about a dead Wwi soldier stuck in the limbo between life and death who has to collect shadows to regain a second chance at life.
Length: 20 min.
Language: German
Country: Belgium
“Henry,” Yan England, director (Yan England) Henry, a concert pianist, has his life thrown into turmoil the day the love of his life mysteriously disappears. (Confession, I have not seen this film.)
Length: 21 min.
Language: English
Country: Canadian
“Kiruna-Kigali,” Goran Kapetanovic, director (Hepp Film Ab)
This tour‐de‐force Swedish short begins in a mist of frost and snow. A woman is driving to the hospital in Kiruna, the northernmost city of Sweden. Under the scorching sunlight of Kigali, Rwanda,another woman is being carried to the hospital on a stretcher. The two single mothers‐to‐be are on the verge of giving birth to a baby are thousands of miles apart, but share the same fear of entering the unknown world of motherhood. I think this is the film to beat.
Length: 15 min.
Language: Swedish/ Kinyarwanda
Country: Swedish/Rwanda
“The Night Shift Belongs to the Stars,” Silvia Bizio and Paola Porrini Bisson, producers (Oh! Pen LLC)
The story of Matteo (Enrico Lo Verso), a passionate mountain climber, and Sonia (Nastassja Kinski), a married woman, also in love with mountain, as they set out to climb a peak on the Dolomites, in Trentino, Italy. (Confession, I have not seen this film.)
Length: 24 min.
Language: English
Country: USA
“9 meter,” Anders Walther, director, and Tivi Magnusson, producer (M & M Productions A/S)
A boy tries to set a new record in the long jump as his mother fights her illness. (Confession, I have not seen this film.)
Length: 18 min.
Language: Danish
Country: Danish
“Salar,” Nicholas Greene, director, and Julie Buck, producer (Nicholas Greene)
In an isolated Bolivian village, on the edge of the vast Uyuni salt flats, two lives collide. This powerful film is my favorite of the 11 short listed films.
Length: 18 min.
Language: English
Country: USA
“When you find me,” Ron Howard, executive producer, and Bryce Dallas Howard, director (Freestyle Production Company)
This Cannon sponsored film looks at the story of two sisters whose childhood bond is tested by a tragedy that they were too young to understand at the time.
Length: 29 min.
Language: English
Country: USA
Mitchell Block specializes in conceiving, producing, marketing & distributing independent features & consulting. He is an expert in placing both completed works into distribution & working with producers to make projects fundable. He conducts regular workshops in film producing in Los Angeles and most recently in Maine, Russia and in Myanmar (Burma).
"Poster Girl," produced by Block was nominated for a Documentary Academy Award and selected by the Ida as the "Best" Doc Short 2011. It was also nominated for two Emmy Awards and aired on HBO. He is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series "Carrier,” a 10-hour series that he conceived & co-created. Block is a graduate of Tisch School and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Television Academy, a founding member of BAFTA-la and has been teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts since 1979. Currently Block teaches a required class in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program.
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©2012Mwb All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved. All information and designs on the Sites are copyrighted material owned by Block. Reproduction, dissemination, or transmission of any part of the material here without the express written consent of the owner is strictly prohibited. All other product names and marks on Block Direct, whether trademarks, service marks, or other type, and whether registered or unregistered, is the property of Block.
- 12/20/2012
- by Mitchell Block
- Sydney's Buzz
14th Mumbai Film Festival (Mff) announced its complete lineup today in a press conference. Mff will be held from October 18th to 25th at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Ncpa) and Inox, Nariman Point, Liberty Cinemas, Marine Lines as the main festival venues and Cinemax, Andheri and Cinemax Sion as the satellite venues. Click here to watch trailers and highlights from the festival.
Here is the complete list of films to be screened during the festival (October 18-25)
International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors
1. From Tuesday To Tuesday (De Martes A Martes)
Dir.: Gustavo Fernandez Triviño (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 111′)
2. The Last Elvis (El Último Elvis)
Dir.: Armando Bo (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 91′)
3. The Sapphires
Dir.: Wayne Blair (Australia / 2012 / Col. / 103′)
4. The Wall (Die Wand)
Dir.: Julian Pölsler (Austria-Germany / 2012 / Col. / 108′)
5. Teddy Bear (10 timer til Paradis)
Dir.: Mads Matthiesen (Denmark / 2012 / Col. / 93′)
6. Augustine
Dir.: Alice Winccour (France / 2012 / Col.
Here is the complete list of films to be screened during the festival (October 18-25)
International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors
1. From Tuesday To Tuesday (De Martes A Martes)
Dir.: Gustavo Fernandez Triviño (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 111′)
2. The Last Elvis (El Último Elvis)
Dir.: Armando Bo (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 91′)
3. The Sapphires
Dir.: Wayne Blair (Australia / 2012 / Col. / 103′)
4. The Wall (Die Wand)
Dir.: Julian Pölsler (Austria-Germany / 2012 / Col. / 108′)
5. Teddy Bear (10 timer til Paradis)
Dir.: Mads Matthiesen (Denmark / 2012 / Col. / 93′)
6. Augustine
Dir.: Alice Winccour (France / 2012 / Col.
- 9/24/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Looking for a must-see list of great gay documentaries? We've got you covered. We recently asked our readers to nominate up to five of their favorite documentary films via write-in vote. Thousands responded and we tabulated the results to bring you the top 25 here. All of these films are definitely worth a look and to help you learn more about titles you might not be familiar with, we've included trailers, links to reviews, official film websites and more. Plus, for three of the titles we've even embedded the full movie thanks to the Logo Docs library.
So here they are, the 25 Greatest Gay Documentaries. Which ones have you already seen? Which ones do you need to see?
25. Saint of 9/11
Summary: Sir Ian McKellen narrates this inspiring portrait of Father Mychal Judge, a New York City Fire Department Chaplain who wrestled with his sexuality, his genuine dedication to life as a priest,...
So here they are, the 25 Greatest Gay Documentaries. Which ones have you already seen? Which ones do you need to see?
25. Saint of 9/11
Summary: Sir Ian McKellen narrates this inspiring portrait of Father Mychal Judge, a New York City Fire Department Chaplain who wrestled with his sexuality, his genuine dedication to life as a priest,...
- 9/10/2012
- by AfterElton.com Staff
- The Backlot
Kirby Dick is our most righteous “outer.” I don’t mean he likes to out gays, although he certainly targeted the more virulent right-wing homophobes in his eye-opening documentary Outrage. I mean that, for Dick, the world is full of dark closets packed not with skeletons but bloodsuckers who’d shrivel if someone would only shine a light in their direction. He can’t quite do that in his galvanizing new documentary The Invisible War. The subject is the U.S. armed forces, the villains the alleged sexual predators who operate without restraint or punishment. To name names or venture onto bases for “ambush” interviews would open himself up to libel suits or worse. But he can do the next best thing. He interviews women who’ve emerged from those dark recesses, women who represent the 20 percent of female vets (that’s a low-ball estimate — we might be talking about...
- 6/23/2012
- by David Edelstein
- Vulture
Over two decades, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick (Twist of Faith) has explored edge territory in sex, art, and philosophy with films like Private Practice: The Story of a Sex Surrogate, Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist, and Derrida, a playful portrait of the impish French poststructuralist thinker riffing on life and language during his tenure in New York City. In recent years, Dick and his producing partner Amy Ziering have zeroed in on institutional power, scrutinizing the hypocrisies and often dangerous doublespeak of powerful, secret-shrouded entities like the MPAA (This Film Is Not Yet Rated) and the Catholic Church (Twist of Faith), as well as closeted Congressional members who use their position to lobby for anti-gay statutes (Outrage). Such concerns find new expression with The Invisible War, a heartbreaking investigation into the systemic rape of servicewomen in the Us military, which won the 2012 Nestor Almendros Award...
- 6/20/2012
- by Damon Smith
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The Invisible War
Directed by Kirby Dick
2012, USA, 93 minutes
Kirby Dick’s latest investigative documentary begins with a simple title card stating that all statistics used in The Invisible War come from the Us government. The move is bold, effective, and sets a sharp tone. So clear is the crime, so large is the epidemic of rape in the Us military, that the Us government can’t even contest the main weapon The Invisible War wields to condemn them.
To sit in the theatre and watch The Invisible War is to be inundated. Story after story of recruits raped is itself harrowing, but the sheer scale and brutality of rape in the military isn’t even the most outrageous aspect of the issue (and yes, having to write that sentence was bewildering). The most outrageous thing—and the focus of the film—is how the Us military treats rape victims...
Directed by Kirby Dick
2012, USA, 93 minutes
Kirby Dick’s latest investigative documentary begins with a simple title card stating that all statistics used in The Invisible War come from the Us government. The move is bold, effective, and sets a sharp tone. So clear is the crime, so large is the epidemic of rape in the Us military, that the Us government can’t even contest the main weapon The Invisible War wields to condemn them.
To sit in the theatre and watch The Invisible War is to be inundated. Story after story of recruits raped is itself harrowing, but the sheer scale and brutality of rape in the military isn’t even the most outrageous aspect of the issue (and yes, having to write that sentence was bewildering). The most outrageous thing—and the focus of the film—is how the Us military treats rape victims...
- 4/26/2012
- by Dave Robson
- SoundOnSight
Cinedigm Entertainment Group and New Video have jointly acquired North American distribution rights to The Invisible War. Directed by Kirby Dick, the film won the U.S. documentary audience award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in January. It will receive a theatrical release this summer. Photos: The Scene at Sundance Film Festival 2012 Dick's investigative documentary takes a devastating look at the rape epidemic in the U.S. military. Amy Ziering (Outrage, Derrida) produced the project. The Invisible War is the first acquisition under the new partnership between Cinedigm and New Video to distribute independent films theatrically, on demand,
read more...
read more...
- 3/5/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Invisible War will be part of The Sundance Film Festival in January, and is sure to raise some questions afterwards. It’s sad that more attention hasn’t been brought to light already, but this is something a good documentary can do.
Kirby Dick (This Film is Not Yet Rated, Outrage) directs the investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape within the Us military. Today, a female soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire with the number of assaults in the last decade alone in the hundreds of thousands.
Watch the trailer below:...
Kirby Dick (This Film is Not Yet Rated, Outrage) directs the investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape within the Us military. Today, a female soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire with the number of assaults in the last decade alone in the hundreds of thousands.
Watch the trailer below:...
- 12/2/2011
- by Graham
- City of Films
The Sundance Film Festival is coming in January and recently announced a list of feature films and documentaries that will be premiering at the event. Two of them are Quentin Dupieux's "Wrong" and Kirby Dick's "The Invisible War." Today, we have trailers for both. Check them out below. Wrong: About a man named Dolph (Plotnick) who is searching for his lost dog, but constantly keeps running into strange characters, including "a nympho pizza-delivery girl, a jogging neighbor seeking the absolute, and a mysterious righter of wrongs." The new movie is directed by Quentin Dupieux, the man behind last year "Rubber," about a killer tire. It stars William Fichtner and Steve Little. The Invisible War: An investigative documentary about one of our country's most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within our Us military. Focusing on the powerfully emotional stories of several young women,...
- 12/2/2011
- WorstPreviews.com
[1] The Sundance Film Festival won't kick off til January, but we already have the first look at what's bound to be one of the most disturbing films to come out of the festival. In The Invisible War, This Film is Not Yet Rated and Outrage director Kirby Dick has turned his talents as a documentarian to the underreported epidemic of rape in the military. The subject matter all but guarantees this film will be a tough one to watch, but if Dick's previous work is anything to go by, it's bound to be a powerful and important one as well. Watch the trailer after the jump. [via Bleeding Cool [2]] It goes without saying that even one rape is a tragedy, just as any one death would be, but the most chilling statistic Dick offers in this trailer is that "Military women are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire.
- 12/2/2011
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
At the heart of the gay rights movement is the idea that, so long as you’re sticking to consenting adults, your orientation is your own damned business. That makes the issue of staying closeted a tricky one. Being out makes a huge difference – bigots are much more likely to soften and change their minds on Lgbt issues when they realize that someone they know is a part of the community – but there are few rights more fundamental than staying private about who you fall in love with.
In Outrage, filmmaker Kirby Dick makes a compelling case that gay and bisexual politicians who vote against Lgbt rights should not be allowed the luxury of staying in their well-appointed closets.
Outrage starts with the astonishing audio of former Senator Larry Craig’s police interview following his arrest for lewd conduct in an airport men’s room. Even after he’s been caught,...
In Outrage, filmmaker Kirby Dick makes a compelling case that gay and bisexual politicians who vote against Lgbt rights should not be allowed the luxury of staying in their well-appointed closets.
Outrage starts with the astonishing audio of former Senator Larry Craig’s police interview following his arrest for lewd conduct in an airport men’s room. Even after he’s been caught,...
- 11/11/2011
- by Ali Davis
- The Backlot
At the heart of the gay rights movement is the idea that, so long as you’re sticking to consenting adults, your orientation is your own damned business. That makes the issue of staying closeted a tricky one. Being out makes a huge difference – bigots are much more likely to soften and change their minds on Lgbt issues when they realize that someone they know is a part of the community – but there are few rights more fundamental than staying private about who you fall in love with.
In Outrage, filmmaker Kirby Dick makes a compelling case that gay and bisexual politicians who vote against Lgbt rights should not be allowed the luxury of staying in their well-appointed closets.
Outrage starts with the astonishing audio of former Senator Larry Craig’s police interview following his arrest for lewd conduct in an airport men’s room. Even after he’s been caught,...
In Outrage, filmmaker Kirby Dick makes a compelling case that gay and bisexual politicians who vote against Lgbt rights should not be allowed the luxury of staying in their well-appointed closets.
Outrage starts with the astonishing audio of former Senator Larry Craig’s police interview following his arrest for lewd conduct in an airport men’s room. Even after he’s been caught,...
- 11/11/2011
- by Ali Davis
- AfterEllen.com
HollywoodNews.com: The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that Tom Quinn and Jason Janego have joined forces with TWC Co-Chairmen Harvey and Bob Weinstein to create a new TWC label to bring new films and other specialty entertainment to audiences simultaneously across multiple digital and traditional platforms. Quinn and Janego will serve as Co-Presidents of the yet-to-be named label, which will be based in New York. The announcement was made by TWC COO David Glasser.
Quinn and Janego were among the first in the film industry to explore the potential of emerging digital platforms and were in the vanguard of developing new strategies for alternative distribution during their tenures at Magnolia Pictures, where they were Senior Vice President and Head of Legal & Business Affairs, respectively. In 2005, Magnolia became one of the first distributors to implement the day/date releasing, premiering Steven Soderbergh’s Bubble and Alex Gibney’s Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room...
Quinn and Janego were among the first in the film industry to explore the potential of emerging digital platforms and were in the vanguard of developing new strategies for alternative distribution during their tenures at Magnolia Pictures, where they were Senior Vice President and Head of Legal & Business Affairs, respectively. In 2005, Magnolia became one of the first distributors to implement the day/date releasing, premiering Steven Soderbergh’s Bubble and Alex Gibney’s Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room...
- 9/6/2011
- by Anastasia Alvarado
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Weinstein Company officially announced their plans to launch a VOD label. Deadline reports that TWC have hired Tom Quinn and Jason Janego to run it. This makes sense to me as VOD continues to grow as a way to make money for studios on films that are not a good choice for a wide theatrical release.
Here is the official press release:
New York (September 6, 2011) – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that Tom Quinn and Jason Janego have joined forces with TWC Co-Chairmen Harvey and Bob Weinstein to create a new TWC label to bring new films and other specialty entertainment to audiences simultaneously across multiple digital and traditional platforms. Quinn and Janego will serve as Co-Presidents of the yet-to-be named label, which will be based in New York. The announcement was made by TWC COO David Glasser.
Quinn and Janego were among the first in the film industry...
Here is the official press release:
New York (September 6, 2011) – The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that Tom Quinn and Jason Janego have joined forces with TWC Co-Chairmen Harvey and Bob Weinstein to create a new TWC label to bring new films and other specialty entertainment to audiences simultaneously across multiple digital and traditional platforms. Quinn and Janego will serve as Co-Presidents of the yet-to-be named label, which will be based in New York. The announcement was made by TWC COO David Glasser.
Quinn and Janego were among the first in the film industry...
- 9/6/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
GLAAD is a funny little organization, on the one hand these self-appointed sentries for positive representation of gays in media, on the other a kind of nutless institution reluctant to get their Pradas dirty on the way to the awards show by, say, recognizing important but confrontational work like Kirby Dick's Outrage. It's baffling, really, when you then consider where they do choose to pick their battles.
Consider today's "call to action" against the Tribeca Film Festival, what essentially boils down to a campaign to have a particular selection -- a self-described "transploitation" film from writer/director Israel Luna called Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives -- removed from the program. Here's an excerpt from their takedown:...
Consider today's "call to action" against the Tribeca Film Festival, what essentially boils down to a campaign to have a particular selection -- a self-described "transploitation" film from writer/director Israel Luna called Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives -- removed from the program. Here's an excerpt from their takedown:...
- 3/25/2010
- Movieline
Chicago – “Thank you for coming out today,” said Idaho senator Larry Craig at an August ’07 press conference. He had been arrested two months prior on the charges of “lewd conduct” in a men’s restroom. This was the latest of many similar allegations aimed at the politician, who had spent his career hiding in the closet, while refusing to help pass legislation that would protect gay rights.
According to Kirby Dick’s galvanizing documentary, “Outrage,” Craig is merely one of many closeted politicians on Capitol Hill whose repressed lifestyle has led them to vote hypocritically. The film argues that if these key figures in America’s political establishment outed themselves, then their voting records would change dramatically. Most of the politicians Dick outs are white, male conservatives who seem to be punishing themselves because of their own impulses. As a result, they are also punishing every single gay American.
DVD...
According to Kirby Dick’s galvanizing documentary, “Outrage,” Craig is merely one of many closeted politicians on Capitol Hill whose repressed lifestyle has led them to vote hypocritically. The film argues that if these key figures in America’s political establishment outed themselves, then their voting records would change dramatically. Most of the politicians Dick outs are white, male conservatives who seem to be punishing themselves because of their own impulses. As a result, they are also punishing every single gay American.
DVD...
- 1/26/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The brilliant "A Single Man" won the film of the year at the first ever Dorian Awards from the Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association. The film's star, Colin Firth, was given the Film Performance of the Year award.
Here's the full list of the Dorian Awards 2009 Nominees and Winners:
Film Of The Year:
A Single Man (winner)
Bright Star
(500) Days of Summer
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Up
Film Performance Of The Year:
Colin Firth, A Single Man (winner)
Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Catalina Saavedra, The Maid
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Lgbt - Themed Film Of The Year:
A Single Man (winner)
Outrage
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Campy . Intentional Or Not . Film Of The Year:
Obsessed (winner)
Drag Me to Hell
Julie & Julia
Orphan
Whip It
TV...
Here's the full list of the Dorian Awards 2009 Nominees and Winners:
Film Of The Year:
A Single Man (winner)
Bright Star
(500) Days of Summer
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Up
Film Performance Of The Year:
Colin Firth, A Single Man (winner)
Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Catalina Saavedra, The Maid
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Lgbt - Themed Film Of The Year:
A Single Man (winner)
Outrage
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Campy . Intentional Or Not . Film Of The Year:
Obsessed (winner)
Drag Me to Hell
Julie & Julia
Orphan
Whip It
TV...
- 1/22/2010
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Director Kirby Dick issued a statement to Towleroad on his film Outrage's snubbing by the GLAAD Media Awards, who defended the omission by claiming they weren't "the Academy Awards," and that peeking into closets -- regardless of whose -- "doesn't promote awareness," and therefore doesn't fall under their mandate.
He wrote:
[T]he film meets all four criteria listed on their website: "Fair, Accurate and Inclusive Representations" of "the Lgbt Community", "Boldness and Originality", "Impact", and "Overall Quality".
He wrote:
[T]he film meets all four criteria listed on their website: "Fair, Accurate and Inclusive Representations" of "the Lgbt Community", "Boldness and Originality", "Impact", and "Overall Quality".
- 1/20/2010
- Movieline
2010 is in full swing and some really great movies are hitting store shelves this week for the first time and for the first time on Blu-ray. This week’s releases include Gamer, Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Che, Damages, the complete run of ABC’s canceled too soon Defying Gravity and the Blu-ray release of Whiteout with Kate Beckinsale (pictured above).
Check out this week’s releases:
Movies
According to Greta ~ Hilary Duff, Ellen Burstyn (DVD)
Boogie Nights ~ Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore (Blu-ray)
Bourne Supremacy (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ~ Matt Damon, Brian Cox, Karl Urban (Blu-ray)
Bourne Ultimatum (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ~ Matt Damon, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn (Blu-ray)
Che (Criterion Collection) ~ Benicio del Toro (Blu-ray)
Gamer ~ Gerard Butler, Amber Valetta, Michael C. Hall, Kyra Sedgwick (DVD and Blu-ray)
Kingdom Of The Spiders [Special Edition] ~ William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode (DVD)
Magnolia ~ Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman...
Check out this week’s releases:
Movies
According to Greta ~ Hilary Duff, Ellen Burstyn (DVD)
Boogie Nights ~ Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore (Blu-ray)
Bourne Supremacy (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ~ Matt Damon, Brian Cox, Karl Urban (Blu-ray)
Bourne Ultimatum (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ~ Matt Damon, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn (Blu-ray)
Che (Criterion Collection) ~ Benicio del Toro (Blu-ray)
Gamer ~ Gerard Butler, Amber Valetta, Michael C. Hall, Kyra Sedgwick (DVD and Blu-ray)
Kingdom Of The Spiders [Special Edition] ~ William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode (DVD)
Magnolia ~ Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman...
- 1/19/2010
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
The weather's crap, but there's a frickin' gay pride parade on DVD this week, with three high-profile queer-inclusive titles making their home video premiere.
Read on for more!
The documentary The Butch Factor explores masculinity among gay men, by interviewing rodeo riders, pro football veteran David Kopay and cops, asking questions about what it means to be a gay man, societal phobias about effeminacy and the stereotypes that continue to exist decades after the Stonewall riots. Gay men of all stripes should find plenty of fodder for discussion here.
Speaking of gay men in uniform, Robert Altman's Streamers—about Vietnam-bound soldiers, one of whom (Mitchell Lichtenstein) does everything but wear a big scarlet "H" on his chest—finally makes its DVD debut this week. It's one of Altman's filmed plays (coming after the gay-fave Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean and before the Nixon...
Read on for more!
The documentary The Butch Factor explores masculinity among gay men, by interviewing rodeo riders, pro football veteran David Kopay and cops, asking questions about what it means to be a gay man, societal phobias about effeminacy and the stereotypes that continue to exist decades after the Stonewall riots. Gay men of all stripes should find plenty of fodder for discussion here.
Speaking of gay men in uniform, Robert Altman's Streamers—about Vietnam-bound soldiers, one of whom (Mitchell Lichtenstein) does everything but wear a big scarlet "H" on his chest—finally makes its DVD debut this week. It's one of Altman's filmed plays (coming after the gay-fave Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean and before the Nixon...
- 1/19/2010
- by ADuralde
- The Backlot
The omission of Outrage from the GLAAD Media Awards nominations list announced on Wednesday was a high-profile snub that earned the ire of many, Movieline included. (Director Kirby Dick will be on Mike Signorile's Sirius/Xm show this afternoon to discuss it; you can listen to the conversation free here.) Meanwhile, BlogActive.com was sent this statement from GLAAD addressing the matter (bolding ours):
The GLAAD Media Awards are about elevating and promoting the fair, accurate and inclusive stories of Lgbt issues, people and allies that have increased awareness, understanding and respect for our lives and our pursuit of equality.
The GLAAD Media Awards are about elevating and promoting the fair, accurate and inclusive stories of Lgbt issues, people and allies that have increased awareness, understanding and respect for our lives and our pursuit of equality.
- 1/15/2010
- Movieline
Somewhere along the line, Outrage -- Oscar-nominated Kirby Dick's very brave, very necessary indictment of politicians like Larry Craig and Charlie Crist, among other Gop who support anti-gay legislation while flippantly chasing same-sex encounters behind closed doors -- has gotten the shaft. Its subject matter managed to spook even NPR, who censored its review (which prompted us to point out the hypocrisy of their own policies, which deign speculating about American Idol contestants' sexuality to be fair game). And its 17-week run produced only $287,198 at the box office -- less even than his previous film of arguably far narrower appeal, the MPAA-skewering This Film is Not Yet Rated. And here's yet one more reason for some real outrage:...
- 1/13/2010
- Movieline
Lately I have been looking at some of my year-end awards screeners, mainly the documentaries. My critics' group votes for the year's best documentary; we each vote for our top five and then vote again from the top five finalists. It's not easy to figure out this year's front-runner as of yet, and most of the contenders have been huge yawners. For several years in a row, the big award-winners have always been about war in some form, either WWII or the more recent wars in the Middle East. But this year I have detected grumblings of ennui from the other critics, an ennui that i started developing years ago. This year the favorites appear to be a bit more lighthearted in tone, as well as more local in theme. Rowdy movies like Anvil: The Story of Anvil, Capitalism: A Love Story (52 screens) and Food, Inc. (5 screens) for example have...
- 11/29/2009
- by Jeffrey M. Anderson
- Cinematical
See two clips from the HBO Films documentary "Outrage," directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick ("Twist of Faith"). Premieres on HBO on Monday, October 5th at 9pm Et/Pt. A searing indictment of the hypocrisy of closeted politicians with appalling gay rights voting records who actively campaign against the Lgbt community they covertly belong to. Boldly revealing the hidden lives of some of the United States’ most powerful policymakers, Outrage takes a comprehensive look at the harm they’ve inflicted on millions of Americans...
- 10/1/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
[The fledgling Shinsedai Cinema Festival, programmed by Midnight Eye’s Jasper Sharp and Toronto J-Film PowWow’s Chris MaGee, hits a bulls-eye in showcasing unique and provoking independent Japanese Cinema. The New God, was certainly a highlight]
After watching the alleged hypocrisy of a few Us senators in Kirby Dick’s gay outing documentary Outrage and the oily charisma of Ted Haggard, as featured in Jesus Camp (before he was thrown out of his own mega-church for drugs and homosexual prostitutes) it does lend you to wonder how certain extreme personalities in positions of power crave the spotlight for their own twisted public therapy sessions. Right-wing political activist and ex-wrist-cutter Karin Amamiya may not have the reach of those influential white men, albiet she is somewhat of a youth icon currently in Japan, but she certainly comes across as loud and confusing and yes, quite interesting in Yutaka Tsuchiya’s The New God. His film is the only philosophically political romantic comedy rockumentary that I am aware of. And I want more films in this zany new sub-genre!
After watching the alleged hypocrisy of a few Us senators in Kirby Dick’s gay outing documentary Outrage and the oily charisma of Ted Haggard, as featured in Jesus Camp (before he was thrown out of his own mega-church for drugs and homosexual prostitutes) it does lend you to wonder how certain extreme personalities in positions of power crave the spotlight for their own twisted public therapy sessions. Right-wing political activist and ex-wrist-cutter Karin Amamiya may not have the reach of those influential white men, albiet she is somewhat of a youth icon currently in Japan, but she certainly comes across as loud and confusing and yes, quite interesting in Yutaka Tsuchiya’s The New God. His film is the only philosophically political romantic comedy rockumentary that I am aware of. And I want more films in this zany new sub-genre!
- 8/27/2009
- by Kurt Halfyard
- Screen Anarchy
Have a question about gay male entertainment? Ask the Monkey! (Please include your city and state and/or country.)
Q: My friend and I were having a discussion about the word “faggot” after he saw the episode Kings where Silas calls Jack one. My friend was really shocked that they used the word on TV, but my reaction was "So what? Don't they say it on TV often?” Do they? – Mark, Queens, NY
A: Truthfully, no. It’s pretty rare.
I’m of mixed minds here: part of me gets annoyed when people react to specific words like they’re something other than just words, like they’re plutonium – so toxic that they can’t even be spoken out loud. This ends up giving these words far more power than they deserve.
Then again, a different part of me gets annoyed when screenwriters – usually straight male screenwriters – include things in...
Q: My friend and I were having a discussion about the word “faggot” after he saw the episode Kings where Silas calls Jack one. My friend was really shocked that they used the word on TV, but my reaction was "So what? Don't they say it on TV often?” Do they? – Mark, Queens, NY
A: Truthfully, no. It’s pretty rare.
I’m of mixed minds here: part of me gets annoyed when people react to specific words like they’re something other than just words, like they’re plutonium – so toxic that they can’t even be spoken out loud. This ends up giving these words far more power than they deserve.
Then again, a different part of me gets annoyed when screenwriters – usually straight male screenwriters – include things in...
- 7/20/2009
- by Brent Hartinger
- The Backlot
Here’s a compromise proposition for everyone who feels that publicly outing closeted gay politicians who work hard against gay civil rights is a bad, bad, naughty, rude thing. As soon as filmmaker Kirby Dick is done doing whatever he needs to do to launch his latest documentary, Outrage, into the world -- done with promotion and recording DVD commentaries and all that -- then he can move on to another film that savages all those senators and congresspeople who are secretly African-American and openly racist. And then Dick can rip to shreds all those powerful politicians who are closeted women but plainly misogynist. What’s that? No one can be covertly black or female? You don’t say! If I sound angry, it’s because I am. I already was pretty pissed off before I saw Outrage, and now, I’m furious. I’m not sure I learned anything...
- 6/12/2009
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Hey, is it just me or did Susan Boyle lose weight? Oh, I Keed! (Adam Lambert and Queen's Brian May)
Following this assortment of carefully-selected news items, interested readers can find a refreshing pic of a hot man in underwear after the jump. Yes, we're serious.
Adam Lambert possibly being considered to front for Queen. Hey, did anyone make a joke yet about the band being called Queen and Adam being, like, reallyreallygay? Aw, really? 'Cause that's a total zinger. New York Times columnist Frank Rich's recipe for a marriage equality burrito: Wrap up Adam Lambert, President Obama, Carrie Prejean and Outrage in a jalapeno-hypocrisy tortilla, and serve with a side of "those campy, fear-mongering" Nom ads. Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater has launched the first workshop production of Tony Kushner's long-awaited The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, and the 4-hour farce is nabbing promising reviews.
Following this assortment of carefully-selected news items, interested readers can find a refreshing pic of a hot man in underwear after the jump. Yes, we're serious.
Adam Lambert possibly being considered to front for Queen. Hey, did anyone make a joke yet about the band being called Queen and Adam being, like, reallyreallygay? Aw, really? 'Cause that's a total zinger. New York Times columnist Frank Rich's recipe for a marriage equality burrito: Wrap up Adam Lambert, President Obama, Carrie Prejean and Outrage in a jalapeno-hypocrisy tortilla, and serve with a side of "those campy, fear-mongering" Nom ads. Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater has launched the first workshop production of Tony Kushner's long-awaited The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, and the 4-hour farce is nabbing promising reviews.
- 5/26/2009
- by brian
- The Backlot
I love this film! After watching so many Hollywood summer popcorn flicks, I opted for a quiet experience of "Outrage." But the film gave me so much adrenaline much like watching an action flick!
Directed by Kirby Dick ("This Film is Not Yet Rated"), "Outrage" explores the hypocrisy of closeted politicians who lobby for anti-gay legislation.
Yes, there are many talks on Sen. Larry Craig's toe-tapping production number inside a Minneapolis airport restroom. And there are equal talks about Craig's bizarre yet comical insistence that he's not gay, and his anti-gay voting history.
It's the double standard and hypocrisy that really makes my blood boil, like Governor Crist from Florida, a conservative "bachelor" who also vetoed many pro-gay rights bills.
And just like many incendiary but thought-provoking documentaries, "Outrage" made me want to take action. So my first action is to share the experience of watching this wonderful documentary to you,...
Directed by Kirby Dick ("This Film is Not Yet Rated"), "Outrage" explores the hypocrisy of closeted politicians who lobby for anti-gay legislation.
Yes, there are many talks on Sen. Larry Craig's toe-tapping production number inside a Minneapolis airport restroom. And there are equal talks about Craig's bizarre yet comical insistence that he's not gay, and his anti-gay voting history.
It's the double standard and hypocrisy that really makes my blood boil, like Governor Crist from Florida, a conservative "bachelor" who also vetoed many pro-gay rights bills.
And just like many incendiary but thought-provoking documentaries, "Outrage" made me want to take action. So my first action is to share the experience of watching this wonderful documentary to you,...
- 5/24/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
May 22, 2009 "The only reason people hate gay people is because their leaders tell them to." - Rep. Barney Frank, (D-ma)If you don't believe the above quote and think that homophobia is something natural or intrinsic to the human condition then you can stop reading this review now. The color in your sky is different than the one I see and we’re not going to agree on a lot of things, especially not a documentary about gay rights. I think Frank is onto something essential with this simple statement, something about how teachers, religious figures, politicians, ...Read more at MovieRetriever.com...
- 5/22/2009
- CinemaNerdz
The ground just shifted. Did you feel it?
No, I’m not talking about that earthquake in California a couple of days ago. I’m talking about a subtle, but seismic shift that happened in the way the traditional media cover gay celebrities who are not officially “out.”
Back in September, AfterElton.com announced a shift in our editorial policy: a celebrity didn’t necessarily have to declare “I am gay” in order for us to refer to him as such. If there was compelling evidence that a celebrity is gay – if, for example, they’re repeatedly seen kissing and holding hands in public with a same-sex partner and didn’t make public statements saying they weren’t gay – we weren’t going to censor that information from our readers just because he hadn’t yet made a formal announcement of homosexuality.
If it talked and walked like a gay duck,...
No, I’m not talking about that earthquake in California a couple of days ago. I’m talking about a subtle, but seismic shift that happened in the way the traditional media cover gay celebrities who are not officially “out.”
Back in September, AfterElton.com announced a shift in our editorial policy: a celebrity didn’t necessarily have to declare “I am gay” in order for us to refer to him as such. If there was compelling evidence that a celebrity is gay – if, for example, they’re repeatedly seen kissing and holding hands in public with a same-sex partner and didn’t make public statements saying they weren’t gay – we weren’t going to censor that information from our readers just because he hadn’t yet made a formal announcement of homosexuality.
If it talked and walked like a gay duck,...
- 5/20/2009
- by dennis
- The Backlot
While AfterEllen.com is not in the business of outing those who are stuck in the closet, we generally aren’t faced with many women in entertainment who are obviously gay but promote an anti-gay agenda. Fortunately, we have filmmakers like Kirby Dick (This Film Is Not Yet Rated) to show the world how hypocritical some politicians are.
Larry Craig
You may have already heard about and been looking forward to Dick’s new film, Outrage, a documentary about gay politicians who live their lives in the closet and support anti-gay policies, after NPR’s review of the film sparked controversy among many Lgbt blogs and the writer of the review himself. While outing people is obviously not the most journalistically ethical thing to do, reviews of the film have prompted many to wonder where major media outlets draw the line when it comes to exposing elements of people’s private lives.
Larry Craig
You may have already heard about and been looking forward to Dick’s new film, Outrage, a documentary about gay politicians who live their lives in the closet and support anti-gay policies, after NPR’s review of the film sparked controversy among many Lgbt blogs and the writer of the review himself. While outing people is obviously not the most journalistically ethical thing to do, reviews of the film have prompted many to wonder where major media outlets draw the line when it comes to exposing elements of people’s private lives.
- 5/19/2009
- by jen sabella
- AfterEllen.com
Police Mugshots Of Politician Larry Craig As Featured In Director Kirby Dick'S Outrage. Courtesy Magnolia Pictures. Whether his subjects have been small and personal or large and institutional, documentarian Kirby Dick has always dedicated himself to telling important and often provocative stories. Dick was born in Tucson, Arizona, in 1952, graduated from the Film and Video Program at the California Institute of the Arts and subsequently did postgraduate studies at the American Film Institute. He made his directorial debut in 1986 with Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate, but afterwards segued into television work, taking eleven years before he returned with his sophomore film. However that movie, Sick: The Life & Death of...
- 5/18/2009
- by Nick Dawson
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The key players from the indie film world will be gathered together in Cannes for the next 10 days. Look for our daily roundups of news each night, titled "Cannes in 60 Seconds." But first, what's been happening during the past week?
Deals. Oliver Hirschbiegel's drama Five Minutes of Heaven, starring Liam Neeson, has been acquired by IFC Films, according to indieWIRE. IFC will release the film, which "explores aspects of Northern Ireland's 'Troubles,'" simultaneously in theaters and VOD in August. Michael Meredith's drama The Open Road has been picked up by Anchor Bay, again per indieWIRE. Justin (Motherlover) Timberlake stars as a man who tries to effect a reconciliation between his dying mother (Mary Steenburgen) and his estranged father (Jeff Bridges). Release plans have not yet been announced. I Love You Phillip Morris, a gay con man prison romance, has secured distribution via the fledgling Consolidated Pictures Group,...
Deals. Oliver Hirschbiegel's drama Five Minutes of Heaven, starring Liam Neeson, has been acquired by IFC Films, according to indieWIRE. IFC will release the film, which "explores aspects of Northern Ireland's 'Troubles,'" simultaneously in theaters and VOD in August. Michael Meredith's drama The Open Road has been picked up by Anchor Bay, again per indieWIRE. Justin (Motherlover) Timberlake stars as a man who tries to effect a reconciliation between his dying mother (Mary Steenburgen) and his estranged father (Jeff Bridges). Release plans have not yet been announced. I Love You Phillip Morris, a gay con man prison romance, has secured distribution via the fledgling Consolidated Pictures Group,...
- 5/14/2009
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
Florida Governor Charlie Crist. Former New York Mayor Ed Koch. California Congressman David Dreier. Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee Ken Mehlman. Ex-Idaho Senator Larry Craig. Ex-Louisiana Congressman Jim McCrery. All play starring roles in Outrage, the incendiary new documentary from Academy Award-nominated director Kirby Dick. The film's thesis: The American political system is home to a large number of closeted homosexual lawmakers. Most are Republican. Nearly all of them oppose equal rights measures for gays because they want to conceal their own sexual orientation. In the words of openly gay congressman Barney Frank: "There is a right to privacy, but there is no right to hypocrisy." Outrage digs deep, and what's more, it names names. Now playing in theaters, it is a timely, unsettling expos...
- 5/13/2009
- by Brad Listi
- Huffington Post
So there's this movie called Outrage released last Friday, a documentary "outing" several prominent political figures as being gay because they have a habit for voting against gay rights. It's a ballsy film (read my review), but apparently a tad too ballsy for the folks at NPR. Critic Nathan Lee found on Friday that the publication had decided to rewrite his review, citing a policy saying they respect the privacy of public figures.
As he relayed to IndieWire, Lee protested the policy (which he was only told about shortly before the review was published Friday evening) and asked for his name to be removed from the censored review. Later, some readers speculated that the author of the review himself was closeted for redacting his byline. Lee, an out gay man, fired back to explain his decision in the comments section, only to have it subsequently deleted by NPR.
“I asked...
As he relayed to IndieWire, Lee protested the policy (which he was only told about shortly before the review was published Friday evening) and asked for his name to be removed from the censored review. Later, some readers speculated that the author of the review himself was closeted for redacting his byline. Lee, an out gay man, fired back to explain his decision in the comments section, only to have it subsequently deleted by NPR.
“I asked...
- 5/13/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
Kirby Dick's new documentary Outrage, which premiered at Tribeca last month and opened theatrically last week, is an exposé of U.S. politicians, like Larry Craig, who spew anti-gay rhetoric and vote against gay rights while secretly living gay lives themselves. As you'd imagine, the film has sparked some controversy -- but who would have guessed it would cause problems at liberal NPR?
As first reported by IndieWIRE on Monday, NPR ran a positive review of the film by Nathan Lee, who, in the course of discussing the film, named some of the specific politicians whose hypocritical double lives the film investigates, including former New York City mayor Ed Koch and current Florida governor Charlie Crist. When the review was published, though, Lee was surprised to find that the NPR editors had removed those names from it. Incensed, Lee had his byline removed from the review, too.Filed under: Documentary,...
As first reported by IndieWIRE on Monday, NPR ran a positive review of the film by Nathan Lee, who, in the course of discussing the film, named some of the specific politicians whose hypocritical double lives the film investigates, including former New York City mayor Ed Koch and current Florida governor Charlie Crist. When the review was published, though, Lee was surprised to find that the NPR editors had removed those names from it. Incensed, Lee had his byline removed from the review, too.Filed under: Documentary,...
- 5/13/2009
- by Eric D. Snider
- Cinematical
Love it or hate it, the culture war in the United States has been raging at a fever pitch for a decade, in the media, on the political stage and certainly in the back-rooms of policy making. Kirby Dick’s latest documentary lobs a shrapnel grenade right into the centre of things with the question: “Why are many gay politicians, who choose to ‘live in the closet’ (presumably out of concern for losing their public office - but it is likely not that simple) some of the toughest anti-gay policy makers?” Of course to ask this question, Dick and company are essentially outing several governors, senators and mayors on screen which will lead, more likely than not, to a slander law-suit or three. The film on the surface is destined to be written off by hard-core Republicans (who will, I’m guessing, not bother seeing the film before writing it...
- 5/10/2009
- by Kurt Halfyard
- Screen Anarchy
If you’ve seen This Film is Not Yet Rated, you know that Kirby Dick is the kind of filmmaker who doesn’t hold back when he has an oppressive institution to take down. In going after closeted politicians, he’s not content with mere criticism and hearsay. Going for the jugular, his new documentary Outrage exposes, accuses and demonizes its targets: the people who are influential in suppressing gay rights, yet might be gay themselves. Traitors, as one of the film’s interviewee calls them.
“I hope that every professional gay will say 'enough', come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help.” It’s that quote, uttered some thirty years ago by Harvey Milk, that seems to drive the thesis of Outrage. It’s further supported by the openly gay Congressman Barney Frank’s famous “Frank Rule,” which states that while...
“I hope that every professional gay will say 'enough', come forward and tell everybody, wear a sign, let the world know. Maybe that will help.” It’s that quote, uttered some thirty years ago by Harvey Milk, that seems to drive the thesis of Outrage. It’s further supported by the openly gay Congressman Barney Frank’s famous “Frank Rule,” which states that while...
- 5/9/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
Q: I've heard a good bit about the controversial new film Outrage over the past few days, especially the filmmakers' outing of closeted gays in Republican circles. What's the deal on outing? I always thought that members of our community agreed that coming out was a highly personal decision. Is this good manners or bad manners? A: Well, it's a good question and a timely one as the movie is opening this weekend. As I've written before: "Don't legislate the schedule or the degree of someone's coming out... Coming out is an extremely personal decision." And, in my previous book, The Essential Book of Gay Manners & Etiquette I added: "Outing a colleague - intentionally or unintentionally - is a violation of that person's privacy. Don't do it!" So, what do we see in this new film by director Kirby Dick, but...
- 5/8/2009
- by Steven Petrow
- Huffington Post
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