Exclusive: Clea DuVall (Happiest Season) has been tapped to direct Abbi and the Eighth Wonder, a female-driven comedy adventure film in development at TriStar Pictures.
Based on an original screenplay by Matt Roller, which made the Black List in 2021, the film’s plot is under wraps. Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, and Dan Cohen will produce for 21 Laps, with Emily Feher overseeing the project for the company.
Abbi and the Eighth Wonder reunites DuVall with TriStar on the heels of Happiest Season, the hit LGBTQ+ romantic comedy, starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, which she co-wrote and directed. Licensed by Hulu in the U.S. in 2020, the film broke streaming records on the platform after it earned the number one spot and became the most-watched original film on Hulu on its opening weekend.
Previously helming the Sundance dramedy The Intervention starring Melanie Lynskey, Jason Ritter, Natasha Lyonne and more, DuVall is...
Based on an original screenplay by Matt Roller, which made the Black List in 2021, the film’s plot is under wraps. Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, and Dan Cohen will produce for 21 Laps, with Emily Feher overseeing the project for the company.
Abbi and the Eighth Wonder reunites DuVall with TriStar on the heels of Happiest Season, the hit LGBTQ+ romantic comedy, starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, which she co-wrote and directed. Licensed by Hulu in the U.S. in 2020, the film broke streaming records on the platform after it earned the number one spot and became the most-watched original film on Hulu on its opening weekend.
Previously helming the Sundance dramedy The Intervention starring Melanie Lynskey, Jason Ritter, Natasha Lyonne and more, DuVall is...
- 5/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Aggregate Films is developing and will produce a feature adaptation of the hit Off-Broadway play Amy and the Orphans, with Jamie Brewer set to reprise the title role, which earned her both a Theater World Award and a Drama Desk Award in 2018.
Lindsey Ferrentino will adapt her play for the screen, also here making her directorial debut. Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan are developing and producing for Aggregate, with Tracey Nyberg also on board to produce.
In Amy and the Orphans, three adult siblings come together in Montauk after the death of their father and confront the truths of their childhood. Amy has Down syndrome and has spent almost her entire life in group homes, and her older siblings Maggie and Jacob come to realize that she is perhaps a very different person than they had thought.
Edward Barbanell is set for a new role written for the screen,...
Lindsey Ferrentino will adapt her play for the screen, also here making her directorial debut. Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan are developing and producing for Aggregate, with Tracey Nyberg also on board to produce.
In Amy and the Orphans, three adult siblings come together in Montauk after the death of their father and confront the truths of their childhood. Amy has Down syndrome and has spent almost her entire life in group homes, and her older siblings Maggie and Jacob come to realize that she is perhaps a very different person than they had thought.
Edward Barbanell is set for a new role written for the screen,...
- 2/7/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Aubrey Plaza is on a roll. It took a while for her to find her way after "Parks and Recreation" ended and her time as April Ludgate came to a close. Appearing alongside Robert DeNiro in 2016's "Dirty Grandpa" didn't quite catapult her to megastar level, and while 2017's "Ingrid Goes West" was a memorable entry in her filmography, she seemed to fade from the spotlight after her brief flirtation with next-level stardom.
But a consistent output of strong performances in indies like "The Little Hours," "An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn," and "Addicted to Fresno" have demonstrated Plaza's versatile talents and tireless work ethic. And now things have picked up even more, and Plaza is, according to GQ, "leveling up." 2022's "Emily The Criminal" saw her deliver a surprisingly raw performance as an embattled catering company worker turned fraudster. That was quickly followed by a starring role in...
But a consistent output of strong performances in indies like "The Little Hours," "An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn," and "Addicted to Fresno" have demonstrated Plaza's versatile talents and tireless work ethic. And now things have picked up even more, and Plaza is, according to GQ, "leveling up." 2022's "Emily The Criminal" saw her deliver a surprisingly raw performance as an embattled catering company worker turned fraudster. That was quickly followed by a starring role in...
- 1/28/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Jack Kehler, a prolific character actor, died Saturday from complications due to leukemia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif. He was 75 years old.
Kehler’s death was confirmed by his son, Eddie Kehler.
Born May 22, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pa., Kehler set his career off in acting at the age of 24 by beginning to work in theater. In 1982, Kehler fell in with Sanford Meisner and Wynn Handman, beginning his tenure as a lifelong member of the Actors Studio.
Soon after, Kehler relocated to Los Angeles where he began to accrue supporting roles in film and television. His first screen credit came in 1983 with Michael Laughlin’s sci-fi release “Strange Invaders,” starring Paul Le Mat and Nancy Allen. Kehler is credited as a gas station attendant in the film.
Kehler spent the remainder of the 1980’s primarily working in television, making appearances on “Hill Street Blues,” “Fresno,” “Cagney & Lacey” and “St. Elsewhere.
Kehler’s death was confirmed by his son, Eddie Kehler.
Born May 22, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pa., Kehler set his career off in acting at the age of 24 by beginning to work in theater. In 1982, Kehler fell in with Sanford Meisner and Wynn Handman, beginning his tenure as a lifelong member of the Actors Studio.
Soon after, Kehler relocated to Los Angeles where he began to accrue supporting roles in film and television. His first screen credit came in 1983 with Michael Laughlin’s sci-fi release “Strange Invaders,” starring Paul Le Mat and Nancy Allen. Kehler is credited as a gas station attendant in the film.
Kehler spent the remainder of the 1980’s primarily working in television, making appearances on “Hill Street Blues,” “Fresno,” “Cagney & Lacey” and “St. Elsewhere.
- 5/10/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Jack Kehler, a character actor who had supporting roles in dozens of TV shows and films over four decades including the Dude’s landlord in The Big Lebowski, has died. He was 75.
Kehler’s son, Eddie Kehler told Deadline, that his father died Saturday of complications of leukemia at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
Born on May 22, 1946, in Philadelphia, the elder Kehler studied with Sanford Meisner and Wynn Handman and was a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. He was a regular on the short-lived ABC adventure series McKenna and in Season 2 of ABC’s Murder One. He recurred on such shows as The Man in the High Castle, mid-2000s ABC sitcom I’m with Her and the star-packed 1986 miniseries Fresno.
He also guested on dozens of popular series ranging from Hill Street Blues, Hunter, Cagney & Lacey, L.A. Law, Newhart...
Kehler’s son, Eddie Kehler told Deadline, that his father died Saturday of complications of leukemia at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
Born on May 22, 1946, in Philadelphia, the elder Kehler studied with Sanford Meisner and Wynn Handman and was a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. He was a regular on the short-lived ABC adventure series McKenna and in Season 2 of ABC’s Murder One. He recurred on such shows as The Man in the High Castle, mid-2000s ABC sitcom I’m with Her and the star-packed 1986 miniseries Fresno.
He also guested on dozens of popular series ranging from Hill Street Blues, Hunter, Cagney & Lacey, L.A. Law, Newhart...
- 5/10/2022
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Derek Nguyen, the award-winning writer, director and producer behind horror-romance The Housemaid (Cô Hầu Gái), has signed with Cinetic Media for management.
The Vietnamese American multihyphenate’s first feature follows an orphaned Vietnamese girl who is hired to be a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in French Indochina during the 1950s. IFC Films released it in theaters in 2016.
Nguyen also is producing an American adaptation of The Housemaid called Grave Hill from director Deon Taylor, which is slated for production this year, having penned the script with Oscar winner Geoffrey Fletcher. He exec produced the Tribeca-premiering thriller Catch the Fair One with Darren Aronofsky and has served as an associate producer on titles including The Long Dumb Road, The Tale, Buster’s Mal Heart, Lovesong and Addicted to Fresno. He is also a partner at the production company The Population with Mynette Louie.
Nguyen was a fellow at...
The Vietnamese American multihyphenate’s first feature follows an orphaned Vietnamese girl who is hired to be a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in French Indochina during the 1950s. IFC Films released it in theaters in 2016.
Nguyen also is producing an American adaptation of The Housemaid called Grave Hill from director Deon Taylor, which is slated for production this year, having penned the script with Oscar winner Geoffrey Fletcher. He exec produced the Tribeca-premiering thriller Catch the Fair One with Darren Aronofsky and has served as an associate producer on titles including The Long Dumb Road, The Tale, Buster’s Mal Heart, Lovesong and Addicted to Fresno. He is also a partner at the production company The Population with Mynette Louie.
Nguyen was a fellow at...
- 1/18/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: A busy week for Judy Greer. Earlier we reported that she was starring in the indie film LA Bound, and today we hear she will play Mrs. G. in the Nicholas Ma directed feature Mabel.
Joy Goodwin and Ma wrote the script for Mabel which centers around Callie, whose only friends are the plants and trees that surround her home. When her dad’s job moves the family to a sterile subdivision, she is utterly isolated—except for her best friend, a potted plant named Mabel. To Callie, Mabel is a peer, a fellow being, maybe overlooked or unseen, but still very much alive.
Helen Estabrook, Luca Borghesde and Ben Howe are producing.
Greer is repped by Artists First, CAA and Felker Toczek.
Greer can next be seen in Universal/Blumhouse’s highly anticipated David Gordon Green directed sequel Halloween Kills opening on Oct. 15. She is currently filming the...
Joy Goodwin and Ma wrote the script for Mabel which centers around Callie, whose only friends are the plants and trees that surround her home. When her dad’s job moves the family to a sterile subdivision, she is utterly isolated—except for her best friend, a potted plant named Mabel. To Callie, Mabel is a peer, a fellow being, maybe overlooked or unseen, but still very much alive.
Helen Estabrook, Luca Borghesde and Ben Howe are producing.
Greer is repped by Artists First, CAA and Felker Toczek.
Greer can next be seen in Universal/Blumhouse’s highly anticipated David Gordon Green directed sequel Halloween Kills opening on Oct. 15. She is currently filming the...
- 7/23/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Judy Greer is headlining the independent feature LA Bound, which we have learned is being written and directed by Chris McGowan.
In La Bound, a small-town high school soccer star ruins his college scholarship and moves to Los Angeles to pursue acting to pay homage to his late sister’s passion for the arts. Greer will star as Carol Berry opposite Brec Bassinger. David Brown is producing LA Bound.
Greer can next be seen in Universal/Blumhouse’s highly anticipated David Gordon Green directed sequel Halloween Kills being released on Oct. 15. She is currently filming the Disney+ feature Hollywood Stargirl with Uma Thurman and Grace VanderWaal for director Julia Hart.
Greer can recently be seen in John DeLorean biopic Driven with Jason Sudeikis and Lee Pace, Richard Linklater’s Where’d You Go Bernadette opposite Cate Blanchett and Buffaloed opposite Zoey Deutch. Greer’s additional feature credits include Clint Eastwood...
In La Bound, a small-town high school soccer star ruins his college scholarship and moves to Los Angeles to pursue acting to pay homage to his late sister’s passion for the arts. Greer will star as Carol Berry opposite Brec Bassinger. David Brown is producing LA Bound.
Greer can next be seen in Universal/Blumhouse’s highly anticipated David Gordon Green directed sequel Halloween Kills being released on Oct. 15. She is currently filming the Disney+ feature Hollywood Stargirl with Uma Thurman and Grace VanderWaal for director Julia Hart.
Greer can recently be seen in John DeLorean biopic Driven with Jason Sudeikis and Lee Pace, Richard Linklater’s Where’d You Go Bernadette opposite Cate Blanchett and Buffaloed opposite Zoey Deutch. Greer’s additional feature credits include Clint Eastwood...
- 7/20/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Charles Grodin had a 60-year career in Hollywood, ranging from guesting on 1950s TV Westerns to playing opposite such big-screen and TV stars as Robert De Niro, Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Dustin Hoffman, Steve Martin, Jill Clayburgh, Farrah Fawcett, Cybill Shepherd, Marlo Thomas, Martin Short, Louis C.K. and, well, Miss Piggy.
The Emmy-winning actor, who died today at 86, had more than 70 credits on his résumé — from films including The Heartbreak Kid, Heaven Can Wait and Sunburn in the 1970s through The Lonely Guy and The Woman in Red to action-buddy classic Midnight Run, legendary flop Ishtar and the canine-infused Beethoven pics. He also starred in the 1986 primetime-soap spoof miniseries Fresno, won an Emmy for co-writing 1977’s The Paul Simon Special and fronted his own short-lived talk show.
Steve Martin, Albert Brooks Pay Tribute To Charles Grodin; Marc Maron Praises “Cranky Comedic Genius”
From his straight-man magnificence to leading-man panache and talk-show-guest brilliance,...
The Emmy-winning actor, who died today at 86, had more than 70 credits on his résumé — from films including The Heartbreak Kid, Heaven Can Wait and Sunburn in the 1970s through The Lonely Guy and The Woman in Red to action-buddy classic Midnight Run, legendary flop Ishtar and the canine-infused Beethoven pics. He also starred in the 1986 primetime-soap spoof miniseries Fresno, won an Emmy for co-writing 1977’s The Paul Simon Special and fronted his own short-lived talk show.
Steve Martin, Albert Brooks Pay Tribute To Charles Grodin; Marc Maron Praises “Cranky Comedic Genius”
From his straight-man magnificence to leading-man panache and talk-show-guest brilliance,...
- 5/18/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Charles Grodin, an Emmy-winning writer and actor who starred in films like Beethoven and The Heartbreak Kid, died of cancer Tuesday at his home in Wilton, Conn. He was 86.
Throughout his career, Grodin was known for his extremely deadpan style of humor. In addition to his big-screen work, which also included Rosemary’s Baby and Midnight Run, Grodin had several TV roles over the course of his prolific career. He played Cane Kensington in Fresno, a mini-series starring Carol Burnett and Dabney Coleman that lampooned prime-time soap operas of the 1970s and ’80s like Dallas and Dynasty. He also appeared on...
Throughout his career, Grodin was known for his extremely deadpan style of humor. In addition to his big-screen work, which also included Rosemary’s Baby and Midnight Run, Grodin had several TV roles over the course of his prolific career. He played Cane Kensington in Fresno, a mini-series starring Carol Burnett and Dabney Coleman that lampooned prime-time soap operas of the 1970s and ’80s like Dallas and Dynasty. He also appeared on...
- 5/18/2021
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
Charles Grodin, the comic, scene-stealing actor of such films as The Heartbreak Kid, Midnight Run and Beethoven who later established himself as a curmudgeonly talk show guest without rival, died today at his home in Wilton, Conn. He was 86.
His son, Nicholas, told The New York Times that the cause of death was bone marrow cancer. A spokesperson said Grodin died peacefully at his home.
Born Charles Sidney Grodin in Pittsburgh, Grodin, who studied under Lee Strasberg, made his big-screen debut in the small role as the duped obstetrician who turns Mia Farrow’s Rosemary over to a coven of witches in Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Grodin graduated to leading man by 1972’s The Heartbreak Kid, the Elaine May film that established his career and set the hapless, dry-wit style that would become his signature.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
Though he would achieve fame on screen,...
His son, Nicholas, told The New York Times that the cause of death was bone marrow cancer. A spokesperson said Grodin died peacefully at his home.
Born Charles Sidney Grodin in Pittsburgh, Grodin, who studied under Lee Strasberg, made his big-screen debut in the small role as the duped obstetrician who turns Mia Farrow’s Rosemary over to a coven of witches in Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Grodin graduated to leading man by 1972’s The Heartbreak Kid, the Elaine May film that established his career and set the hapless, dry-wit style that would become his signature.
Showbiz & Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2021 – Photo Gallery
Though he would achieve fame on screen,...
- 5/18/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
March 8 is International Women’ Day and March is Women’s History Month, and many outlets are celebrating with special events and/or programming. Here’s a roundup.
Events/Panels
On Broadway, the neon lights will shine on the fourth annual Women’s Day on Broadway. This year’s virtual event begins at 1 p.m. Et/11 a.m. Pt March 12, with participants including Marija Abney, Laura Benanti, Tanya Birl, Pearl Cleage, Cara Cooper, Maria Manuela Goyanes, Alia Jones-Harvey, Gethsemane Herron-Coward, Vanessa Javier, Tavia Jefferson, Julia Jones, Eva Price and a performance by the Broadway Sinfonietta.
The Paley Center for Media in New York is launching a new quarterly series of high-profile conversations to celebrate the ongoing achievements of women and to explore the challenges they continue to face. It launches on March 8 with Choosing to Challenge: How Women Are Leading the Way, which focuses on women’s roles as leaders in...
Events/Panels
On Broadway, the neon lights will shine on the fourth annual Women’s Day on Broadway. This year’s virtual event begins at 1 p.m. Et/11 a.m. Pt March 12, with participants including Marija Abney, Laura Benanti, Tanya Birl, Pearl Cleage, Cara Cooper, Maria Manuela Goyanes, Alia Jones-Harvey, Gethsemane Herron-Coward, Vanessa Javier, Tavia Jefferson, Julia Jones, Eva Price and a performance by the Broadway Sinfonietta.
The Paley Center for Media in New York is launching a new quarterly series of high-profile conversations to celebrate the ongoing achievements of women and to explore the challenges they continue to face. It launches on March 8 with Choosing to Challenge: How Women Are Leading the Way, which focuses on women’s roles as leaders in...
- 3/6/2021
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
Double and Nothing: Babbit Blunders on Binary Barrymore
Jamie Babbit doubles down on Drew Barrymore for her sixth feature, The Stand In, a somewhat standard riff on two unrelated lookalikes trading places in a superficial simulacrum of celebrity. It’s been five years since Babbit’s last feature, 2015’s Addicted to Fresno, and the director’s indie aesthetics have often been part of her oeuvre’s ragtag charm, from her blazing inception with 1999’s But I’m a Cheerleader and on to various playful items, like the pulp genre enjoyments of The Quiet (2005) and even 2012’s Breaking the Girls.
Having directed a head spinning number of different television episodes for a diverse array of notable television series, it’s a pleasure to find Babbit unveil a new offering, even if the almost alarming amount of cameo appearances in her latest don’t add up to much behind her lead star’s...
Jamie Babbit doubles down on Drew Barrymore for her sixth feature, The Stand In, a somewhat standard riff on two unrelated lookalikes trading places in a superficial simulacrum of celebrity. It’s been five years since Babbit’s last feature, 2015’s Addicted to Fresno, and the director’s indie aesthetics have often been part of her oeuvre’s ragtag charm, from her blazing inception with 1999’s But I’m a Cheerleader and on to various playful items, like the pulp genre enjoyments of The Quiet (2005) and even 2012’s Breaking the Girls.
Having directed a head spinning number of different television episodes for a diverse array of notable television series, it’s a pleasure to find Babbit unveil a new offering, even if the almost alarming amount of cameo appearances in her latest don’t add up to much behind her lead star’s...
- 12/13/2020
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
We’re still a couple of weeks out from The Boys returning with its second season, but based on the footage we’ve seen so far, it certainly looks as if we’re in for another wild ride. One that may even top the first run of the show, which was one of the best things that we’d seen on television in a long time.
Of course, trying to predict how something as crazy as The Boys is going to end up is a fool’s errand, but let’s not forget that it won’t be the only new thing arriving on Amazon Prime in September. Far from it, in fact.
Earlier today, the streaming service announced their entire line-up of new titles for next month and it’s a meaty list, comprising both films and television shows. And though The Boys may be the highlight for many...
Of course, trying to predict how something as crazy as The Boys is going to end up is a fool’s errand, but let’s not forget that it won’t be the only new thing arriving on Amazon Prime in September. Far from it, in fact.
Earlier today, the streaming service announced their entire line-up of new titles for next month and it’s a meaty list, comprising both films and television shows. And though The Boys may be the highlight for many...
- 8/26/2020
- by Matt Joseph
- We Got This Covered
An election season is fast-approaching in the U.S. So for its new releases in September 2020, Amazon Prime is bringing back one of its most political shows.
The Boys season 2 premieres its first three episodes on September 4. Though the show on its face is a superhero story, viewers of season 1 will know it’s really about America’s troubling embrace of entertainment with fascism. Sounds fun and not at all terrifying right before a presidential election!
That’s not the only bleak Amazon original on the schedule for September. British TV adaptation Utopia arrives on September 25. This Gillian Flynn-produced series follows fans of a comic book who believe it predicts…world-ending pandemics. Darn it. Amazon’s only original film this month is a…documentary about voter suppression from Liz Garbus called All In: The Fight for Democracy. Yikes.
For those of us who want to relax with some ‘member berries,...
The Boys season 2 premieres its first three episodes on September 4. Though the show on its face is a superhero story, viewers of season 1 will know it’s really about America’s troubling embrace of entertainment with fascism. Sounds fun and not at all terrifying right before a presidential election!
That’s not the only bleak Amazon original on the schedule for September. British TV adaptation Utopia arrives on September 25. This Gillian Flynn-produced series follows fans of a comic book who believe it predicts…world-ending pandemics. Darn it. Amazon’s only original film this month is a…documentary about voter suppression from Liz Garbus called All In: The Fight for Democracy. Yikes.
For those of us who want to relax with some ‘member berries,...
- 8/26/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Since earning an Emmy nomination for her breakout role as Deputy Molly Solverson on the first season of Noah Hawley’s FX anthology series, Fargo, Allison Tolman has taken pains not to pigeonhole herself. But there is a common thread to her roles; she plays an "everywoman" just trying to live her life until she gets dropped into extraordinary circumstances.
When Tolman hears that description, she laughs with sudden recognition that, yes, certain roles appeal to her more than others. "I guess I'm not offered a lot of superheroes," she tells Et. "I tend to be drawn to the roles where women are the heroes of their own story, and most of those women are real women. They are just trying to get through the day and hold down a job. I think that that's enough of a challenge."
In the film Barracuda, which opens in limited release on Friday, Oct. 6, she...
When Tolman hears that description, she laughs with sudden recognition that, yes, certain roles appeal to her more than others. "I guess I'm not offered a lot of superheroes," she tells Et. "I tend to be drawn to the roles where women are the heroes of their own story, and most of those women are real women. They are just trying to get through the day and hold down a job. I think that that's enough of a challenge."
In the film Barracuda, which opens in limited release on Friday, Oct. 6, she...
- 10/6/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Gravitas Ventures has released the first trailer to the comedy “Brave New Jersey,” a film about a small New Jersey town on the night of Orson Welles’ 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast that sent millions of listeners into a panic, believing the U.S. was being invaded by Martians.
Read More: Film Festival Roundup: AFI Fest Adds ‘Jackie’ and ‘Miss Sloane,’ Chicago International Announces Winners and More
The story follows the town’s mayor clerk (Tony Hale,“Veep”), an unhappy housewife (Heather Burns, “Manchester by the Sea”), a timid schoolteacher (Anna Camp, “Pitch Perfect”), a fearful sheriff (Mel Rodriguez, “The Last Man on Earth”), and an erratic reverend (Dan Bakkedahl, “Life in Pieces”) as they cope with the thought of this being their last night on earth and wonder how they’re going to spend it. With the help of the town’s reclusive war veteran (Raymond J. Barry,...
Read More: Film Festival Roundup: AFI Fest Adds ‘Jackie’ and ‘Miss Sloane,’ Chicago International Announces Winners and More
The story follows the town’s mayor clerk (Tony Hale,“Veep”), an unhappy housewife (Heather Burns, “Manchester by the Sea”), a timid schoolteacher (Anna Camp, “Pitch Perfect”), a fearful sheriff (Mel Rodriguez, “The Last Man on Earth”), and an erratic reverend (Dan Bakkedahl, “Life in Pieces”) as they cope with the thought of this being their last night on earth and wonder how they’re going to spend it. With the help of the town’s reclusive war veteran (Raymond J. Barry,...
- 6/19/2017
- by Gabrielle Kiss
- Indiewire
The Horizon Award Co-Founders — Christine Vachon, Lynette Howell Tayler, Cassian Elwes, and CEO of ShivHans Pictures — Shivani Rawat
(Photo by: Dan Campbell / Horizon Award)The Horizon Award heads back to Sundance Film Festival for its third year and cofounders Cassien Elwes, Lynette Howell Taylor and Christine Vachon bring new and returning sponsors.
The Wme Lounge in Park City, Utah during the 2017 Sundance Film Festival hosted the crowded celebratory event where everyone freely mixed and met each other.
Six directors judged the final 53 films to select the two winners. Catherine Hardwicke (“Thirteen”, “Twilight”), Kimberly Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry”, “Carrie”), Jamie Babbit (“But I’m a Cheerleader”, “Addicted to Fresno”), Karyn Kusama (“Jennifer’s Body”, “Æon Flux”), Tina Mabry (“Mississippi Damned”, “Queen Sugar”), and Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”, “Shark Tale”) chose. Brittany “B Monét” Fennell and Andy Villanueva whose self-directed short films of two minutes or less were submitted through the website (www.
(Photo by: Dan Campbell / Horizon Award)The Horizon Award heads back to Sundance Film Festival for its third year and cofounders Cassien Elwes, Lynette Howell Taylor and Christine Vachon bring new and returning sponsors.
The Wme Lounge in Park City, Utah during the 2017 Sundance Film Festival hosted the crowded celebratory event where everyone freely mixed and met each other.
Six directors judged the final 53 films to select the two winners. Catherine Hardwicke (“Thirteen”, “Twilight”), Kimberly Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry”, “Carrie”), Jamie Babbit (“But I’m a Cheerleader”, “Addicted to Fresno”), Karyn Kusama (“Jennifer’s Body”, “Æon Flux”), Tina Mabry (“Mississippi Damned”, “Queen Sugar”), and Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”, “Shark Tale”) chose. Brittany “B Monét” Fennell and Andy Villanueva whose self-directed short films of two minutes or less were submitted through the website (www.
- 1/27/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Pregnancy can be challenging and scary for any young woman, but it’s even more frightening when you don’t know how you got pregnant. In the new body-horror comedy “Antibirth,” hard-partying stoner Lou (Natasha Lyonne) wakes up one morning to discover that she’s pregnant despite not having sex in over a year. Living in a small Michigan town, Lou and her best friend Sadie (Chloë Sevigny) try to discover how this could happen in a drug-addled haze, but when a mysterious stranger (Meg Tilly) raises the possibility of something otherworldly, it throws everyone for a loop. Suddenly, Lou starts to lose a grip on reality as the person (or thing) growing inside her begins to distort her mind. Watch the trailer below, courtesy of EW.
Read More: Sundance Film Festival 2016 Midnight Lineup Includes New Films From Kevin Smith, Rob Zombie, More
The film is the feature-length debut from writer-director Danny Perez.
Read More: Sundance Film Festival 2016 Midnight Lineup Includes New Films From Kevin Smith, Rob Zombie, More
The film is the feature-length debut from writer-director Danny Perez.
- 8/4/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Aubrey Plaza has come out as bisexual.
The 32-year-old actress is most famous for playing April Ludgate on hit television show Parks and Recreation, and has also had roles in films such as Dirty Grandpa and the upcoming Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.
Just days after admitting she has had experiences with women, Aubrey has officially revealed her sexuality in an interview with Lgbt magazine The Advocate.
"I know I have an androgynous thing going on, and there’s something masculine about my energy," she said. "Girls are into me - that’s no secret. Hey, I’m into them too. I fall in love with girls and guys. I can’t help it."
Aubrey has also explored her sexuality on screen, playing a lesbian in 2015 movie Addicted to Fresno. The role saw her lock lips with Natasha Lyonne - but that wasn't something Aubrey was against.
"(My role...
The 32-year-old actress is most famous for playing April Ludgate on hit television show Parks and Recreation, and has also had roles in films such as Dirty Grandpa and the upcoming Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.
Just days after admitting she has had experiences with women, Aubrey has officially revealed her sexuality in an interview with Lgbt magazine The Advocate.
"I know I have an androgynous thing going on, and there’s something masculine about my energy," she said. "Girls are into me - that’s no secret. Hey, I’m into them too. I fall in love with girls and guys. I can’t help it."
Aubrey has also explored her sexuality on screen, playing a lesbian in 2015 movie Addicted to Fresno. The role saw her lock lips with Natasha Lyonne - but that wasn't something Aubrey was against.
"(My role...
- 7/8/2016
- GossipCenter
FilmRise has acquired the exclusive home media rights to eight films from Gravitas Ventures including Sundance docu Jim: The James Foley Story, Addicted to Fresno, 4th Man Out, Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong and Froning: The Fittest Man in History. The pics will be released on DVD and Blu-ray throughout the spring and summer. Other titles include: Advantageous, Anarchy Parlor and All Stars. Jim: The James Foley Story explores the life and death of American photojournalist…...
- 3/10/2016
- Deadline
Plus: Erik Lomis exits TWC, joins Annapurna; and more…
San Francisco’s Golden Gate 3D will produce the large format film Cuba (working title) in association with BBC Earth, which will support marketing and promotion. Giant Screen Films will distribute globally.
Neil Nightingale (Walking With Dinosaurs, One Life, Tiny Giants, Wild Africa) is on board as executive producer. Production is currently underway with a release target of early 2017.
Erik Lomis has become the latest high-ranking executive to leave The Weinstein Company, where he served five years as head of domestic distribution. Lomis has joined Annapurna Pictures in an unspecified role. A spokesperson confirmed Lomis had joined Megan Ellison’s company but did not elaborate. Reports speculated Ellison is launching a distribution arm.The Orchard has acquired all North American rights from Submarine Entertainment to Michal Marczak’s documentary All These Sleepless Nights. The film from Endorfina Studio and Pulse Films earned the 2016 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award in...
San Francisco’s Golden Gate 3D will produce the large format film Cuba (working title) in association with BBC Earth, which will support marketing and promotion. Giant Screen Films will distribute globally.
Neil Nightingale (Walking With Dinosaurs, One Life, Tiny Giants, Wild Africa) is on board as executive producer. Production is currently underway with a release target of early 2017.
Erik Lomis has become the latest high-ranking executive to leave The Weinstein Company, where he served five years as head of domestic distribution. Lomis has joined Annapurna Pictures in an unspecified role. A spokesperson confirmed Lomis had joined Megan Ellison’s company but did not elaborate. Reports speculated Ellison is launching a distribution arm.The Orchard has acquired all North American rights from Submarine Entertainment to Michal Marczak’s documentary All These Sleepless Nights. The film from Endorfina Studio and Pulse Films earned the 2016 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award in...
- 3/10/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Well here it is, my Top 15 films of 2015. If you’ve ever read one of my end of year lists, you’ll know that my choices tend to be a million miles away from the mainstream; and this year is no different! This year has been Amazing for films, I could easily had penned a list of 52 films – one for each week of the year – but instead I managed to narrow down the choices to 28 films quite swiftly. However, to hit this years target of a Top 15 (for 2015 geddit?) it took a hell of a lot of work. I think this list even surprises me – there’s a number of films that going back over the 508[!] films we’ve reviewed here on Nerdly in 2015, at the time I reviewed them, I didn’t expect would stay with me till the end of the very end of the year. Oh, and...
- 12/24/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Stars: Judy Greer, Natasha Lyonne, Aubrey Plaza, Ron Livingston, Allison Tolman, Fred Armisen, Molly Shannon, Jessica St. Clair, Malcolm Barrett, Michael Hitchcock, Clea DuVall | Written by Karey Dornetto | Directed by Jamie Babbit
Reteaming director Jamie Babbit with Natasha Lyonne, her leading lady from the 1999 cult favourite But I’m a Cheerleader, Addicted to Fresno tells the story of Martha (Lyonne), a quiet reserved young woman who divides her day between working as a cleaner at the Fresno Suites hotel and working out at the local gym.
When her elder sister, Shannon (Greer), is finally released from a sex rehab clinic, their unshakeable bond of sisterhood is put to the test when, after Martha gets Shannon a job at the hotel where she works, she accidentally kills a guest post-coitus. With no option but to try and dipose of the body, the pair get entangled in a web of sex toys,...
Reteaming director Jamie Babbit with Natasha Lyonne, her leading lady from the 1999 cult favourite But I’m a Cheerleader, Addicted to Fresno tells the story of Martha (Lyonne), a quiet reserved young woman who divides her day between working as a cleaner at the Fresno Suites hotel and working out at the local gym.
When her elder sister, Shannon (Greer), is finally released from a sex rehab clinic, their unshakeable bond of sisterhood is put to the test when, after Martha gets Shannon a job at the hotel where she works, she accidentally kills a guest post-coitus. With no option but to try and dipose of the body, the pair get entangled in a web of sex toys,...
- 10/23/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
There are two types of flawed protagonists. Take Jenny Slate’s Donna in the unforgettable comedy Obvious Child, or even Jon Favreau in Swingers for instance. Characters who are self-absorbed, and through their narcissism, can be unwittingly brash and discourteous to others. But what they share in common, is the ability to earn the affections of
The post Addicted to Fresno Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Addicted to Fresno Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 10/7/2015
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
With top TV talent and the director of cult favorite “But I’m a Cheerleader” at the helm, “Addicted to Fresno” should be good, or at the very least, enjoyably off kilter. Sadly, save for a few inspired moments (usually at the expense of the city of Fresno), Jamie Babbit’s screwball comedy is cringe-inducing and unfunny. Everyone in front of the camera here deserves better, particular Judy Greer in a rare starring role. I’d argue that Greer should get more work, but the talented actress has been in a half dozen films this year, as well as on TV with “Married” and “Archer.” But it’s less the quantity of roles she nabs (seriously, Judy, take a vacation), and more her part in them that's the concern. Greer’s brief appearances in blockbuster films like “Ant-man” and “Jurassic World” could’ve been anyone; more leads like “Addicted to Fresno...
- 10/2/2015
- by Kimber Myers
- The Playlist
Read More: The 15 Indie Films You Must See This October: 'Room,' 'Victoria' and More "Addicted to Fresno" (October 2) Judy Greer is normally the level-headed sidekick, and Natasha Lyonne the crazy mess, but Jamie Babbit is changing things up significantly in "Addicted to Fresno." The comedy, which premiered earlier this year at SXSW, runs far away from Hollwood typecasting by starring Greer as a sex-addicted wreck and Lyonne as her strangely optimistic sister. The film follows the pair -- Greer's Shannon and Lyonne's Martha -- as the former comes out of sex rehab and gets a job as a maid at the hotel where the latter works. After Shannon relapses and accidentally kills a hotel guest, her and Martha go on an all-out adventure to cover up the crime. "Addicted to Fresno" marks the second collaboration between Lyonne and Babbit after the 1999 cult hit, "But I'm a Cheerleader." The comedy also stars Aubrey Plaza,...
- 10/2/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
First, the good news: Judy Greer has the lead in a movie. Now, the not-so-good news: That movie is “Addicted to Fresno.” If you’re resistant to laugh-track yucks, this comedy that revolves around a dead body and lessons learned is likely unappealing. Given significant slack, however, “Fresno” does have its charms, thanks in no small part to Greer — for once, not stuck in the small role of best friend or put-upon wife — and her co-star, Natasha Lyonne. Lyonne herself is experiencing a renaissance thanks to her role in the lauded Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black,” returning to the.
- 10/2/2015
- by Tricia Olszewski
- The Wrap
For years, it’s fallen to Natasha Lyonne and Aubrey Plaza to give deadpan ballast to two of your favorite comedies (Orange Is the New Black and Parks and Recreation, respectively), so you’ve got to hand it to director Jamie Babbit for thinking to pair these two scene-stealers romantically in her new movie Addicted to Fresno. At least romance is what Plaza has on her mind in this exclusive scene, where she attempts to hit on an oblivious Lyonne to no avail. (To be fair, Lyonne has somewhat bigger fish to fry in this movie: Her sister Judy Greer has accidentally killed someone, and the two siblings are trying desperately to cover it up.) Will the two of them find love in Fresno, which comes out tomorrow in theaters (and is currently on demand and on iTunes)? At the very least, they can bond over a similar comic wavelength.
- 10/1/2015
- by Kyle Buchanan
- Vulture
But I’m a Sex Addict: Babbitt Returns to Dark Comedy with Mixed Results
Though the film rests rather comfortably on the shoulders of its talented lead actresses, director Jamie Babbit’s latest, Addicted to Fresno, overreaches in its efforts to deliver an endearing yet cynical familial drama about two sisters maturing and growing closer together as they cover up an accidental murder. Written by talented television writer Karey Dornetto (“South Park,” “Portlandia”), here writing her first feature, a number of winning elements are present to constitute a successfully cynical dark comedy, but more often than not, a reliance on too many familiar narrative points tends to mish-mash the highs and lows into a mediocre black comedy. Fans of the notable cast members should find much to appreciate, though one is left with a curiously uninvolved feeling once the credits roll.
Recovering sex addict Shannon (Judy Greer) is having a difficult time staying sex free.
Though the film rests rather comfortably on the shoulders of its talented lead actresses, director Jamie Babbit’s latest, Addicted to Fresno, overreaches in its efforts to deliver an endearing yet cynical familial drama about two sisters maturing and growing closer together as they cover up an accidental murder. Written by talented television writer Karey Dornetto (“South Park,” “Portlandia”), here writing her first feature, a number of winning elements are present to constitute a successfully cynical dark comedy, but more often than not, a reliance on too many familiar narrative points tends to mish-mash the highs and lows into a mediocre black comedy. Fans of the notable cast members should find much to appreciate, though one is left with a curiously uninvolved feeling once the credits roll.
Recovering sex addict Shannon (Judy Greer) is having a difficult time staying sex free.
- 10/1/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Compellingly making a female driven comedy that chronicles the complexity of their relationships in both a funny and meaningful way can be an equally daunting and liberating task. But the new independent movie ‘Addicted to Fresno,’ which was directed by Jamie Babbit and written by television scribe Karey Dornetto, comically and meaningfully chronicles how families enable each other to continue destructive patterns. But they ultimately realize they must ultimately separate in order to grow. Also emphasizing the vulnerability of two distinct sisters, as well as the prospect of redeeming their mistakes, despite their reluctance to change their bad choices, proves that the filmmakers know how to create relatable characters who [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Jamie Babbit and Karey Dornetto Talk Addicted to Fresno (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Jamie Babbit and Karey Dornetto Talk Addicted to Fresno (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/30/2015
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
"Ya'll ready for this?!" Gravitas Ventures has debuted a trailer for the indie comedy Addicted to Fresno, from filmmaker Jamie Babbit (Breaking the Girls, Itty Bitty Titty Committee). This kooky indie stars Judy Greer & Natasha Lyonne as sisters at a hotel in Fresno, California. When one of them accidentally kills a guy, they go to extreme lengths to cover up the crime. The supporting cast includes Aubrey Plaza, Clea DuVall, Allison Tolman, Ron Livingston, Molly Shannon and Fred Armisen. This looks funny at times, but doesn't seem like anything that stands out in a crowd. At least it's nice to see more of Judy Greer. Here's the official trailer for Jamie Babbit's Addicted to Fresno, found on YouTube (via The Playlist): Synopsis: Two co-dependent sisters, a recovering sex addict and a lonely lesbian (played by Judy Greer and Natasha Lyonne) who work as hotel maids, go to ludicrous...
- 7/21/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
For those of you getting a bit bummed about Judy Greer spending the summer in thankless Blockbuster Mom roles (seriously Hollywood, she's great and deserves better), here's a movie that gives the actress so much more to do. "Addicted To Fresno" features Greer in the lead role alongside a pretty talented ensemble, in what looks like a pretty light-hearted comedy caper. Directed by Jamie Babbitt ("But I'm A Cheerleader") with Natasha Lyonne, Fred Armisen, Molly Shannon, Ron Livingston, Allison Tolman, and Aubrey Plaza among the players, the story follows a recovering sex addict and her lesbian sister, who work together at Fresno Suites and get caught up in covering up a crime after they accidentally kill a hotel guest. This looks light and breezy, but again, the highlight seems to be Greer given a major big screen spotlight. The film opens on October 2nd. Check out the trailer below.
- 7/21/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
With key roles on the cult comedy hit Arrested Development and the FX animated comedy Archer, as well as a leading role on Married, Judy Greer is a familiar figure to television fans. She ahs, however, been very prolific on the big screen as well, appearing in supporting turns in four of the summer’s big movies, the four being Tomorrowland, Entourage, Jurassic World, and last weekend’s box office winner Ant-Man. Greer, however, is soon poised to take centre stage in a movie. Titled Addicted to Fresno, the synopsis is as follows.
Follows the lives two co-dependent sisters who work as hotel maids in Fresno.
Orange is the New Black‘s Natasha Lyonne plays the other half of the sisterly duo, with But I’m a Cheerleader director Jamie Babbit taking the reins, and Allison Tolman, Aubrey Plaza, Jessica St. Clair, and Molly Shannon co-starring. At the Outfest Film...
Follows the lives two co-dependent sisters who work as hotel maids in Fresno.
Orange is the New Black‘s Natasha Lyonne plays the other half of the sisterly duo, with But I’m a Cheerleader director Jamie Babbit taking the reins, and Allison Tolman, Aubrey Plaza, Jessica St. Clair, and Molly Shannon co-starring. At the Outfest Film...
- 7/20/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Judy Greer is a very fun actress who often brings plenty of depth to her characters. Of course, this year she's had two awful characters to play in both Jurassic World and Ant-Man and I'm not sure if she had more than two minutes of screen time in Tomorrowland... that movie is sort of a blur to me at this point and best left forgotten. However, it does appear Greer does have one solid performance on the horizon in Jamie Babbit's Fresno (now apparently titled Addicted to Fresno). Here's the plot: Fresno is a comedy about co-dependent sisters who work as hotel maids in Fresno, CA. Shannon (Judy Greer) is fresh out of sex rehab when her younger, overly optimistic lesbian sister Martha (Natasha Lyonne) lands her a job as a maid at Fresno Suites, the local hotel. When Shannon jeopardizes her fresh start by accidentally killing a hotel guest after a post-rehab relapse,...
- 7/17/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Read More: SXSW: How Natasha Lyonne and Judy Greer Escaped the Hollywood Boys Club for 'Fresno' Judy Greer is normally the level-headed sidekick, and Natasha Lyonne the crazy mess, but not this time around. Jamie Babbit's SXSW comedy "Addicted to Fresno" runs far away from typecasting by starring Greer as the sex-addicted wreck, Shannon, and Lyonne as her strangely optimistic sister, Martha. The film follows the two sisters as Shannon comes out of sex rehab and gets a job as a maid at the hotel where her sister works. After Shannon relapses and accidentally kills a hotel guest, her and Martha go on an all-out adventure to cover up the crime. "Addicted to Fresno" marks the second collaboration between Lyonne and Babbit after the 1999 cult hit, "But I'm a Cheerleader." The comedy also stars Aubrey Plaza, Fred Armisen, Jessica St. Clair, Molly Shannon, Michael Hitchcock and Ron Livingston. The...
- 7/17/2015
- by Kaeli Van Cott
- Indiewire
The 2015 Outfest Los Angeles Lgbt Film Festival opens tonight with Tig, Kristina Goolsby and Ashley York's documentary on Tig Notaro's landmark standup performance in 2012. The 19th annual Outfest Achievement Award has been presented to John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig & the Angry Inch, Rabbit Hole, Shortbus). We've got the trailer for the festival and we're collecting reviews, beginning with Sharon Shattuck's This Day Forward, Maureen Bradley's Two 4 One, Nils Bökamp's You & I, Jamie Babbit's Addicted to Fresno—and more. » - David Hudson...
- 7/9/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
The 2015 Outfest Los Angeles Lgbt Film Festival opens tonight with Tig, Kristina Goolsby and Ashley York's documentary on Tig Notaro's landmark standup performance in 2012. The 19th annual Outfest Achievement Award has been presented to John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig & the Angry Inch, Rabbit Hole, Shortbus). We've got the trailer for the festival and we're collecting reviews, beginning with Sharon Shattuck's This Day Forward, Maureen Bradley's Two 4 One, Nils Bökamp's You & I, Jamie Babbit's Addicted to Fresno—and more. » - David Hudson...
- 7/9/2015
- Keyframe
Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has secured North American rights to Addicted To Fresno, the comedy starring Natasha Lyonne and Judy Greer and directed by Jamie Babbit that premiered in March at SXSW with the title Fresno. A fall 2015 release is planned. Lyonne, who starred in Babbit’s 1999 feature debut But I’m A Cheerleader, stars alongside Greer as co-dependent sisters — a recovering sex addict and a lonely lesbian — who work as hotel maids in Fresno and go to ludicrous…...
- 5/28/2015
- Deadline
The cast of new comedy Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates is growing again, this time adding someone with real comedy chops. Parks And Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza is aboard as one of the titular dates. Zac Efron and Adam DeVine are set as a sibling duo who, in a tale snatched from a real-life event, put up an ad on Craigslist in an attempt to find dates for a wedding. The immature party animals end up with two beautiful women who are crazier than they are, and chaos ensues. Anna Kendrick is playing one of the women they meet, a wild child with a sweetly romantic nature who clicks with Efron’s character, while we presume Plaza will now be the person who pairs off with DeVine. Jake Szymanski, a veteran of Funny Or Die’s online output, is in the director’s chair for the film, scripted by...
- 4/27/2015
- EmpireOnline
Fred Armisen, of IFC’s Portlandia and the movie Fresno directed by Jamie Babbit, and Billy Zane have joined the expanding case of Ben Stiller’s Zoolander 2. Armisen was announced today via Twitter and Instagram, following Stiller’s posting about Zane a day earlier. Others who’ve signed to return for the follow-up to the supermodel saga include Owen Wilson, Christine Taylor, Will Ferrell and many others, plus newbie to this catwalk Kristen Wiig and Cyrus Arnold as…...
- 4/22/2015
- Deadline
Fresno is writer Karey Dornetto and director Jamie Babbit's first film collaboration and hopefully not the last. It is a crime comedy that tells the dysfunctional story of two sisters Shannon (played by Judy Greer) a registered sex offender fresh out of rehab and her bright and shiny yet unintentionally enabling sister Martha (played by Natasha Lyonne). When an accidental death occurs the sisters are stuck trying to figure out how to get rid of it or suffer the consequences. Cinelinx sat down with both Babbit and Dornetto to discuss the film.
Post-rehab, sister Shannon shacks up with Martha and they both work as maids at a nearby hotel. Shannon, not completely over her sex addiction, ends up having sex with a perv in the hotel and accidentally kills him. With a dead body on their hands, the two sisters decide to bring it to the local crematory to get rid of it.
Post-rehab, sister Shannon shacks up with Martha and they both work as maids at a nearby hotel. Shannon, not completely over her sex addiction, ends up having sex with a perv in the hotel and accidentally kills him. With a dead body on their hands, the two sisters decide to bring it to the local crematory to get rid of it.
- 3/20/2015
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Kelly McInerney)
- Cinelinx
In the SXSW Narrative Spotlight selection "Fresno," Natasha Lyonne and Judy Greer pair up on screen for the first time to play two very different sisters. Lyonne, who was recently up for her first Emmy for her performance as the always horny, formerly drug-addicted inmate Nicky Nichols on Netflix's hit show "Orange is the New Black," goes against type to play Martha, the overly optimistic lesbian sister to Greer's Shannon, a deeply troubled woman fresh out of sex rehab. When Martha lands her sister a job as a maid at Fresno Suites, the local hotel in Fresno, CA, things quickly spiral out of control after Shannon accidentally kills a hotel guest following a post-rehab relapse. In addition to the two funny ladies, "Fresno" features a strong, mostly-female cast that includes Aubrey Plaza as Lyonne's love interest, Molly Shannon, Allison Tolman and Clea DuVall, and was directed by Lyonne's "But I'm a Cheerleader" director Jamie Babbit.
- 3/19/2015
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
SXSW 2015 Film Review
complete coverage of the SXSW Film Festival 2015
7 Chinese Brothers
Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington
A man unaccustomed to telling the truth learns to at least describe it. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root. (World Premiere) (film synopsis from sxsw.com)
Overall
The film is almost about nothing, just like the title of the film. Most of the time this doesn’t matter because we get to watch Schwartzman do many Schwartzman things, including acting opposite his real-life dog. There is a very sweet and surprisingly authentic death involving a key character. Besides that moment, when the film ends, you’ll quickly forget about it and move on.
Final Score: 6/10
Adult Beginners
Director: Ross Katz, Screenwriters: Jeff Cox, Elizabeth Flahive
Out of a job after a disastrous product launch, a big-city yuppie retreats to his suburban childhood home, in this heart-warming and hilarious film about crashing hard,...
complete coverage of the SXSW Film Festival 2015
7 Chinese Brothers
Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington
A man unaccustomed to telling the truth learns to at least describe it. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root. (World Premiere) (film synopsis from sxsw.com)
Overall
The film is almost about nothing, just like the title of the film. Most of the time this doesn’t matter because we get to watch Schwartzman do many Schwartzman things, including acting opposite his real-life dog. There is a very sweet and surprisingly authentic death involving a key character. Besides that moment, when the film ends, you’ll quickly forget about it and move on.
Final Score: 6/10
Adult Beginners
Director: Ross Katz, Screenwriters: Jeff Cox, Elizabeth Flahive
Out of a job after a disastrous product launch, a big-city yuppie retreats to his suburban childhood home, in this heart-warming and hilarious film about crashing hard,...
- 3/19/2015
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
I judge comedy harder than probably any other genre. To keep me consistently laughing takes a lot of hard work, and a lot of comedies nowadays don't like to try all that hard, throwing stuff to the wind they aren't terribly committed to and hoping it sticks. So, when a comedy with a focused, specific voice comes along that has me laughing from start to finish, I am a happy guy. Fresno from director Jamie Babbit and writer Karey Dornetto managed to do that. It's not a comedic masterpiece. I don't want to overstate it. But it certainly is a funny 90 minutes that gives stars Judy Greer and Natasha Lyonne a lot of things to play with. Greer plays Shannon, a recovering sex addict trying to get her life in order, very reluctantly I might add. She has shacked up with her sister Martha (Lyonne), a hotel maid with a bit of a savior complex,...
- 3/18/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
South by Southwest starts tomorrow, Friday, March 13, and my pores are beaming with excitement, though that could just be a medical condition. I am looking at a very packed schedule of films over the nine day festival, with a total of 38 in all (36 reviews to write). So, I basically will be drowning in movies. But, then again, I can't complain too much, as I wouldn't have it any other way. You can take a look at what I hope my schedule ends up being below. Obviously, things could change as the festival progresses, with some titles getting more buzz than others and overtaking current films and so forth. But, I think, this is how I will be spending my SXSW. I will be updating this post throughout the festival with schedule changes and links to my reviews, so maybe bookmark this page if you're interested. I hope you enjoy my coverage,...
- 3/12/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
The South by Southwest Film Festival is starting up this Friday, and I could not be more excited. This is my fourth year of attending the fest, and each year brings about a couple of films I love. What is also great about SXSW is, unlike Toronto or Cannes, there is plenty of room for discovery. Many films are making their world premieres here from lesser known filmmakers. SXSW also brings together an eclectic assortment of genres for the program, from indie dramas to horror films to science-fiction to you name it. I think going to those aforementioned festivals and just seeing "prestige pictures" continuously could get a bit boring. Sure, SXSW has a higher risk for a terrible movie, but the risk is exciting. Consequently, making a most anticipated list for a festival offering a lot of discoveries seems like a contradiction. But, of course, if you look through the program,...
- 3/10/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in TrainwreckPhoto: Universal Pictures With Sundance just wrapping up and Berlin starting up in a few days, we are now immersed in the year-long barrage of film festivals. One such festival in South By Southwest. A few weeks back they announced the first seven films of their program, including the opening night film Brand: A Second Coming. Today, they have revealed the rest of the features to be shown in March (except for the midnight program), and some of it has me very excited. The bigger titles announced do not do much for me. Paul Feig's Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy, and the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart starrer Get Hard leave a lot to be desired in terms of anticipation, as does a work in progress cut of Judd Apatow's latest film Trainwreck. I'm guessing an Apatow work in progress is probably around three and a half hours.
- 2/3/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
South by Southwest, the multi-faceted film, music and technology festival held annually in Austin, TX will feature such upcoming films as Paul Feig’s Spy, David Gordon Green’s Manglehorn, Alex Gibney’s documentary Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, and Ondi Timoner’s Russell Brand profile Brand: A Second Coming as headliners in this year’s film festival lineup.
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
- 2/3/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Kristen Bell and Fred Armisen will host the 2015 Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 21, live on IFC at 2:00 pm Pt / 5:00 pm Et, from executive producer Joel Gallen.
Also Read: Spirit Awards Get Live Broadcast for 30th Anniversary
Read the full release from Film Independent:
Film Independent President Josh Welsh announced today that Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell will co-host the 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The nonprofit, which also produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at Lacma, will hold the 30th annual awards ceremony as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica on Saturday,...
Also Read: Spirit Awards Get Live Broadcast for 30th Anniversary
Read the full release from Film Independent:
Film Independent President Josh Welsh announced today that Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell will co-host the 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The nonprofit, which also produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at Lacma, will hold the 30th annual awards ceremony as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica on Saturday,...
- 1/14/2015
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
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