Talking with Patrick Brice of THE OVERNIGHT, CREEP

Going into 2014’s SXSW, Patrick Brice was an unknown entity, opening the door for the horror knockout that was Creep. With Mark Duplass and an HD camera, Brice made one of the year’s best horror films with little to no dollar bills. All the more impressive is his follow-up, the hilarious and heartfelt The Overnight. With a bigger cast, more money, a formalized script and a sprig of confidence, Brice set out to out-do himself in every way possible. I sat down with Patrick for this two-part discussion of what is easily one of my favorites of the year. Join us as we talk about the transformation from first time director to Sundance sparkler, his desire to dip his toe into thrillers, the responsibility of doing bigger and better projects, pushing the boundaries of comedy, the potential of horror movies and those infamous penis prosthetics.

Talking With Pete Docter, Jonas Rivera of INSIDE OUT

June 18, 2015 by Matt Oakes Posted in Interviews 1 Comment

For years, Pixar implied the highest standard in animation. A fifteen year run that spanned from Toy Story to Toy Story 3 included such classics as Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up, Wall-E, Ratatoiulle. For most studios, that amount of #winning would be tantamount to a lifetime of work. And though Pixar’s latest efforts have been middling at best (the trifecta of Cars 2, Brave and Monsters University marked a major low point for the animation studio’s creative juices) Inside Out (full review here) has arrived to return the studio to its former glory. Read More

Out in Theaters: INSIDE OUT

June 18, 2015 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Amy Poehler, Best of 2015, Bill Hader, Inside Out, Lewis Black, Out in Theaters, Pete Docter, Phyllis Smith, Pixar, Reviews, Richard Kind 3 Comments

It’s been five long years and three mediocre products since Pixar unleashed the beloved Toy Story 3, and years of bated breathe have contribution to the hot anticipation of their first original effort since 2012’s problematic Brave. The titanic mummer of Pixar’s throbbing heartbeat has been notably muted and palpably chunky over the last half-decade – the result of Disney dollars hierarchized above lush originality and narrative fervor. But with Inside Out, the Docter is in. Stethoscopes have been administered, a double bypass has been performed, the blockage has been loosened. In one fell blow, Pete Docter has served up a whopping Pixar masterpiece and restored the animation studio’s name to its former glory. All hail the king. All hail the Docter.

The Deepest Cuts: BAY OF BLOOD (1971)

June 18, 2015 by Madelyn Sutton Posted in TV Reviews Leave a comment

The Deepest Cuts is a weekly invitation into some of the sleaziest, goriest, most under-explored corners of horror and cult film online. Every title will be streamable and totally NSFW. Whether it’s a 1960s grindhouse masterpiece, something schlocky from the 90s, or hardcore horror from around the world, these films are guaranteed to shock, disturb, tickle, or generally blow your mind.

The slasher film has a number of purported origins; the most common choices tend to be either Psycho (1960), the urtext for the modern horror film in general, or Halloween (1978), one of the most successful independent releases ever and the inaugural film of the so-called “golden age” of the slasher. More discerning viewers might suggest Black Christmas, an influential and especially watchable film that preceded Halloween by four years. But earlier than that, released in 1972, is Italian director Mario Bava’s proto-slasher masterpiece, most commonly known as A Bay of Blood or Twitch of the Death Nerve (though it has been released under, at the very least, six other titles).

Out in Theaters: DOPE

June 17, 2015 by Jill Landon Posted in Out in Theaters 1 Comment

Forest Whitaker’s steely voiceover quickly informs viewers that Malcolm (Shameik Moore), the high top sporting protagonist of Dope, is a geek. Despite what Whitaker’s barely present narration may say, however, the truth about Malcolm is something much more complicated than that.

Documentary Dossier: THE WOLFPACK

June 17, 2015 by Madelyn Sutton Posted in Documentaries, Out in Theaters Tagged Crystal Moselle, Out in Theaters, Reviews, The Wolfpack 1 Comment

New York City has nearly 8.5 million residents, and though it often feels like one is sharing a rush hour subway with a large percentage of them, the truth is that we know so few of our fellow citizens. High rises and condo buildings are cropping up every day; glancing at these ever-present walls of windows, one can’t help but wonder: who’s in there? The assumption being that you could, at any moment, find out, when the inhabitants step out for work or to pick up a carton of milk at the corner deli. The Wolfpack introduces us to one NYC family where just such an encounter was unlikely to happen – until very recently.

Talking with Michael Winterbottom of THE FACE OF AN ANGEL

June 17, 2015 by Matt Oakes Posted in Interviews Leave a comment

Michael Winterbottom has been making films since 1990 but it wasn’t until 2010’s The Trip that international audiences pivoted their heads towards his product. Sure, 2007’s A Mighty Heart marked a turning point for Angelina Jolie‘s career – with Winterbottom’s somewhat acclaimed film demanding the actress be taken more seriously than her resume of late – and 24 Hour Party People, though not quite deserving of the title, is cult-like in its reach, what with career-beginning performances from Steve Coogan and Andy Serkis. Read More

Director Face/Off: Wes Anderson Vs. Richard Linklater (Part Two – Film Locations)

June 17, 2015 by Lillian Angelle Posted in TV Reviews Leave a comment

Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater –prominent writer/directors, Texas natives (both have roots in Houston) and coincidentally my two favorite humans. Their latest films were nominated for Best Motion Picture this year and, delving further, their careers have evolved at very similar rates, humbly paving the quaint dirt road that was the indie film scene in the ‘90s with Slacker and Bottle Rocket. Onward, they transitioned to tastemakers, acquiring cult followings with Dazed and Confused and The Royal Tenenbaums. With each film Anderson and Linklater make, their toolbox gets a little bigger without compromising their eclectic and pridefully offbeat styles, one vastly different from the other, yet hauntingly similar. Which leads to the question, who does it better?

Both Texas boys, Anderson and Linklater began their film careers humbly and close to home, filming in Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin, and other Texas towns. Their horizons expanded as their budgets and reputations did, eventually allowing them to make what are popularly regarded as their opuses, The Grand Budapest Hotel, filmed in Germany, and Boyhood, Linklater’s “love letter to Texas.” But, allow me to ask, whose film locations are better?

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK Season 3, Episode 2 Recap “Bed Bugs and Beyond”

June 16, 2015 by J Simpson Posted in TV Reviews Tagged Orange in the New Black, TV Recaps Leave a comment

Cooties; Cat fights; Relapses; Double-crossing; French fries at gun point; An ill-advised proposal; Burning Books; And some very, very bad news…

An entire female population in their underwear, a gum wrapper proposal, cat fights and hate sex in a condemned library are not nearly as much fun as they sound, in ‘Bed Bugs And Beyond.’

[This recap will discuss ‘Bed Bugs And Beyond’’ in detail, and may contain spoilers. Be advised.]

Out in Theaters: ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

June 16, 2015 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Connie Britton, Earl and the Dying Girl, Katherine C. Hughes, Me, Olivia Cooke, R.J. Cyler, Thomas Mann 2 Comments

At this year’s Sundance, I skipped Me and Earl and the Dying Girl because, let’s be honest, it’s not a great title. I took in Noah Baumbach’s ruthlessly silly Mistress America instead with Earl playing just a screen over. Had I known it would go on to a standing ovation and stealing US Grand Jury and Dramatic Audience Awards at the fest, I probably would have hung around. Since its premiere, M+E+DG has gone on to become an audience favorite and critical darling throughout the territories its played, holding onto its 100% Rotten Tomato score. Having said that, I still wouldn’t suggest plopping “Dying Girl” into any future movie titles. Still a major turnoff.