The crime thriller TWO STEP debuted at the 2014 South by Southwest Festival and made the festival rounds throughout 2014.
James (Skyy Moore) is a college dropout who lives with his grandmother. When his grandmother passes away, James is on his own in a town where he doesn’t know anyone else. He meets his grandmother’s neighbor Dot (Beth Broderick), an attractive middle-aged dance instructor, and soon develops an attachment to her. Meanwhile, jailhouse lowlife Webb (James Landry Hébert) spends his time in prison calling random numbers from to scam old people out of money. Webb is released from prison into a desperate situation, and he proves how cerebral and destructive he can be when he and James inadvertently cross paths.
TWO STEP is a thriller that has some very unique elements – for one, much of the violence – and there is plenty – happens off-screen. This isn’t a movie about physical violence, it is about the mental toll that desperation causes. First time feature writer/director Alex R. Johnson structures the film to hide the violence, particularly in the dangerous, slow-spoken way that Webb carries himself. While Webb is obviously distressed, both James and Dot have their own issues within their lives. Both are somewhat lost causes, and it’s fascinating how the film hints at the nature of their friendship.
The final third of TWO STEP almost entirely focuses on Webb, shifting him from the film’s antagonist role to the protagonist’s role. Much of it involves him driving around talking to people and tying up the loose ends in his life, which meanders too much. This pushes both James and Dot’s characters to the fringe of the narrative, and if you are more interested in their predicaments than Webb’s (as I was), you will be disappointed. Because of that, as engaged I was in the setup of the conflict of TWO STEP, I was disappointed in not seeing more of these characters because their personal conflicts remain largely unresolved.
TWO STEP is worth a watch, but the ending holds it back from being a unique crime thriller that would set it apart from the dozens of above average crime films that appear at festivals every year. Johnson definitely shows a talented eye for directing – and Hébert plays a great villain – so I’m looking forward to see if Johnson can grow as a filmmaker with his next feature.
Film Review Rating 3 out of 5 : See it … It’s Good
https://vimeo.com/93220155
TWO STEP
Opens July 31st in NY at the Village East Cinema, and August 7th in LA, will be available across major iVOD/cVOD platforms starting on September 1st.
Written and Directed by Alex R Johnson
Starring Beth Broderick, James Landry Hébert, Skyy Moore, Jason Douglas, Ashley Rae Spillers
Written by Christopher McKittrickFilms
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Throwback Texas Thriller TWO STEP Movie Review
The crime thriller TWO STEP debuted at the 2014 South by Southwest Festival and made the festival rounds throughout 2014.
James (Skyy Moore) is a college dropout who lives with his grandmother. When his grandmother passes away, James is on his own in a town where he doesn’t know anyone else. He meets his grandmother’s neighbor Dot (Beth Broderick), an attractive middle-aged dance instructor, and soon develops an attachment to her. Meanwhile, jailhouse lowlife Webb (James Landry Hébert) spends his time in prison calling random numbers from to scam old people out of money. Webb is released from prison into a desperate situation, and he proves how cerebral and destructive he can be when he and James inadvertently cross paths.
TWO STEP is a thriller that has some very unique elements – for one, much of the violence – and there is plenty – happens off-screen. This isn’t a movie about physical violence, it is about the mental toll that desperation causes. First time feature writer/director Alex R. Johnson structures the film to hide the violence, particularly in the dangerous, slow-spoken way that Webb carries himself. While Webb is obviously distressed, both James and Dot have their own issues within their lives. Both are somewhat lost causes, and it’s fascinating how the film hints at the nature of their friendship.
The final third of TWO STEP almost entirely focuses on Webb, shifting him from the film’s antagonist role to the protagonist’s role. Much of it involves him driving around talking to people and tying up the loose ends in his life, which meanders too much. This pushes both James and Dot’s characters to the fringe of the narrative, and if you are more interested in their predicaments than Webb’s (as I was), you will be disappointed. Because of that, as engaged I was in the setup of the conflict of TWO STEP, I was disappointed in not seeing more of these characters because their personal conflicts remain largely unresolved.
TWO STEP is worth a watch, but the ending holds it back from being a unique crime thriller that would set it apart from the dozens of above average crime films that appear at festivals every year. Johnson definitely shows a talented eye for directing – and Hébert plays a great villain – so I’m looking forward to see if Johnson can grow as a filmmaker with his next feature.
Film Review Rating 3 out of 5 : See it … It’s Good
https://vimeo.com/93220155
TWO STEP
Opens July 31st in NY at the Village East Cinema, and August 7th in LA, will be available across major iVOD/cVOD platforms starting on September 1st.
Written and Directed by Alex R Johnson
Starring Beth Broderick, James Landry Hébert, Skyy Moore, Jason Douglas, Ashley Rae Spillers
Written by Christopher McKittrick
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Documentary KEITH RICHARDS: UNDER THE INFLUENCE to Premiere on Netflix
Academy Award® winning director Morgan Neville’s (20 Feet from Stardom, Best of Enemies) original documentary, Keith Richards: Under the Influence, an unprecedented look into the sounds and influences of rock and roll icon Keith Richards, will premiere on Friday, September 18, 2015, exclusively on Netflix worldwide.
“If theres a Mount Rushmore of Rock n Roll, Keith’s face is surely on it. He has always represented the soul of rock music—for all of the light and dark shades that implies,” said filmmaker Morgan Neville. “To my relief, Keith Richards turned out to be a real man—full of humor, knowledge and wisdom. That’s the real Keith we’ve worked to capture in our film and Im honored to bring it to a global audience via Netflix.”
“There’s no one who could bring this unprecedented look into the musical influences of Keith Richards to life as distinctively as Morgan Neville,” said Lisa Nishimura, Netflix VP of Original Documentary Programming. “Our viewers around the world are going to love the rare moments he has captured.”
Produced by Academy Award and Emmy winning producers, RadicalMedia (What Happened, Miss Simone?, The Fog of War), the film is a beautifully documented portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer. Keith Richards: Under the Influence is unparalleled in its access as it looks at one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll music, while charting the journey of Keith’s sound and influences, back to the music that inspired him then and now – electric blues, country honky-tonk, southern soul, and more – as he creates his first solo album in 23 years. A culmination of both new and beloved music, rare archival materials and hours of intimate and reflective conversations with Keith, the film documents his long and unusual journey to become the legend we all love.
In Keith Richards: Under the Influence, we visit key people and places that have always enchanted Keith and inspired his music with The Rolling Stones to his latest solo record: Chicago, home of the blues, where Keith first encountered Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and the hallowed halls of Chess Records; Nashville, where Keith explores his long love of country music; and New York where Keith recorded the album and collaborated with the likes of Steve Jordan and Waddy Wachtel. And along the way, we get an additional dose of inspiration from a long-time friend, Tom Waits. Lastly, this film is a chance to sit at the feet of one of music’s most iconic and least understood figures. The Keith Richards we get to know is smart, funny, poignant and profound. At this moment later in his life, Keith Richards is serious and reflective on his singular and spectacular journey.
Helmed by Academy Award-Winning filmmaker, Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom, Best of Enemies) and produced by Neville, Justin Wilkes (What Happened, Miss Simone?, Under African Skies) and Jane Rose (Crossfire Hurricane, Shine A Light), the feature film is a beautifully documented portraiture film of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer. Emmy®-award nominated cinematographer Igor Martinovic (What Happened, Miss Simone?, House of Cards, Man on Wire) shot the film and Joshua L. Pearson (What Happened, Miss Simone?, Made in America, Under African Skies) edited. Keith Richards: Under the Influence is a RadicalMedia & Tremolo Production.
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Watch Red Band TRAILER for PRINCE directed by Sam De Jong, in Theaters on August 14th
VICE released the Red Band Trailer for PRINCE directed by Sam De Jong and winner of 2015 Berlinale – Honorary Mention: Crystal Bear for Best First Feature. PRINCE will be released in theaters and on VOD platforms August 14th.
Seventeen-year-old Ayoub (Ayoub Elasri) has a lot on his plate: his father (Chaib Massaoudi) is a junkie, his mother (Elsie de Brauw) is a lonely divorcé, and his sister (Olivia Lonsdale) is falling in with the wrong crowd. Haunted by his father’s terrible reputation, Ayoub can’t get the attention of Laura (Sigrid ten Napel), the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood. He does, however, gain the attention of Kalpa (Freddy Tratlehner), an eccentric, purple Lamborghini-driving, psychotically violent local criminal. Falling in with Kalpa, Ayoub tries to enlarge his status (and wallet) enough to win Laura over, but soon finds that his new life is far more than he bargained for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgXbuIcGInA
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ONE & TWO Starring Kiernan Shipka Sets Release Date of August 14th | TRAILER
IFC Midnight has released the trailer for ONE & TWO, directed by Andrew Droz Palermo and Neima Shahdadi, and opening theatrically August 14th.
ONE & TWO starring Kiernan Shipka and Timothée Chalamet, had its world premiere at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival, followed by its U.S. premiere at the SXSW Film Festival.
In the confines of their isolated world, Zac and Eva (Timothée Chalamet of “Homeland” and Kiernan Shipka of “Mad Men”) live under the constant watch of a father (Grant Bowler, “True Blood”) that rules with strict routine and discipline. They live for nightfall — for moments of escape — and rely on each other for moments of levity.
After a long dormant illness returns, their mother (Elizabeth Reaser, THE TWILIGHT SAGA), once a beacon of light and joy, struggles to unite the family in an increasingly somber home. As their father searches for a divine answer to the heartbreaking circumstances of his crumbling world, Zac and Eva steal moments to explore burgeoning otherworldly abilities and to dream of a life free of limitations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5eKwzKkkIc
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African Music Documentary TANGO NEGRO gets NYC and Chicago Theatrical Release | TRAILER
The music documentary Tango Negro: The African Roots of Tango will be released in Chicago and in New York City for a one week run starting on August 14, 2015. In Chicago, Tango Negro: The African Roots of Tango will play at Facets Cinematheque (1517 West Fullerton Ave.) and in New York City at MIST Harlem (46 West 116th). The film will also screen in Washington DC at the Goethe Institute (812 Seventh St, NW) in the context of the 9th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival.
Tango Negro explores the expression of Africanness inherent in the dance of the “tango” and the contribution of African cultures to the dance’s creation. Angolan director, Dom Pedro, details the dance’s early cultural significance as a depiction of the social life of captured African slaves and provides an expansive compilation of musical performances and interviews from tango enthusiasts and historians alike. Tango Negro provides a novel insight into the depth of tango’s sub-Saharan African musical influence, a presence that has crossed oceans and endured the tides of forced bondage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1OCMY06u7M
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CIRCUS WITHOUT BORDERS to Open 2015 Montreal First Peoples Festival | TRAILER
The film Circus Without Borders will open 2015 Montreal First Peoples Festival on Wednesday, July 29th. This 69 minutes documentary produced and directed by Susan Gray and Linda Matchan, tells the story of two circus companies, one in Nunavut, the other in Guinea-Conakry, have brought young people together from the ends of the earth to overcome the limits geography and history have set along their road to fulfilment. An invitation to go beyond.
https://vimeo.com/124206024
CIRCUS WITHOUT BORDERS is a documentary about Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura, best friends and world-class acrobats from remote corners of the globe who share the same dream: To bring hope and change to their struggling communities through circus. Their dream unfolds in the Canadian Arctic and Guinea, West Africa, where they help Inuit and Guinean youth achieve unimaginable success while confronting suicide, poverty and despair.
Seven years in the making, this tale of two circuses — Artcirq and Kalabante — is a culture-crossing performance piece that offers a portal into two remote communities, and an inspiring story of resilience and joy.
The First Nations festival goes on until August 5th and will spread its wings at Place des Festivals: thrilling concerts, an exacting selection of films and videos, the great multicultural parade along Saint-Catherine Street and many indoor venue and gallery events.
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Watch TRAILER for Alex Ross Perry’s QUEEN OF EARTH, in Theaters on August 26th
IFC Films has released a trailer for Alex Ross Perry’s QUEEN OF EARTH, starring Elisabeth Moss and Katherine Waterston, set to be released on August 26th in New York with a national rollout to follow.
Catherine (Elisabeth Moss) has entered a particularly dark period in her life: her father, a famous artist whose affairs she managed, has recently died, and on the heels of his death she’s dumped by her boyfriend James (Kentucker Audley). Looking to recuperate, Catherine heads out to her best friend Virginia’s (Katherine Waterston) lake house for some much needed relaxation. However, once Catherine arrives relaxation proves impossible to find, as she is overcome with memories of time spent at the same house with James the year before. As Catherine reaches out to Virginia with attempts at connection, Virginia begins spending increasing amounts of time with a local love interest, Rich (Patrick Fugit), and fissures in the relationship between the two women begin to appear, sending Catherine into a downward spiral of delusion and madness. A bracing, eerie look at the deep bonds of friendship and the horrific effects of such bonds being frayed, Queen of Earth is a thrilling examination of a deeply complex relationship between two miserable women.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU3a8oniq2s
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Relationship Drama 6 YEARS, Directed by Hannah Fidell go for Release Date of August 18th | TRAILER
The relationship drama 6 YEARS, directed by Hannah Fidell and starring Taissa Farmiga, Ben Rosenfield, Lindsay Burdge, Joshua Leonard, Jennifer Lafleur, which premiered at 2015 SXSW Film Festival, will be released on iTunes and digital platforms on August 18th and on Netflix on September 8th.
A young couple in their early 20s, Dan and Melanie, have known each other since childhood. Now their 6-year romantic relationship is put to the test when Dan receives an attractive job offer from the record label with whom he interns, and he must choose between a move forward and a future with Mel. Growth and temptation happen – but will their relationship remain part of their future?
Writer/director Hannah Fidell explores the struggles of young love as it begins to face the next steps into adulthood. Taissa Farmiga and Ben Rosenfield give warm, genuine performances as Mel and Dan, alongside Lindsay Burdge (star of Fidell’s A Teacher) as a colleague of Dan’s who entices him in more ways than one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH2UscNnO6Y
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Indie Comedy GUIDANCE Directed by Pat Mills Sets Release Date of August 21 | TRAILER
GUIDANCE, a comedy film about the downward spiral of a man who has no limits, will open theatrically in New York on Friday, August 21 at The Village East Cinema with a national release to follow. GUIDANCE is the first feature for writer/director Pat Mills, a child actor on the hit kids show “You Can’t Do That On Television”, and stars Pat Mills, Zahra Bentham, Tracey Hoyt, Kevin Hanchard, Alex Ozerov, Eleanor Zichy.
David Gold, 36, a pathologically immature former child actor, has never been able to get over high school. Recently diagnosed with skin cancer, unemployed and with nothing left to lose, he fakes his resume and gets a job as a high school guidance counselor. Quickly winning over the students at Grusin High with his laidback attitude and similar interests, he befriends Jabrielle, a teenaged outcast and soon learns that sometimes you can go too far, especially when it comes to committing a ridiculous crime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLm0d_3uj4I
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Pakistani Film, DUKHTAR (Daughter), Sets U.S. October Release Date | TRAILER
DUKHTAR (Daughter), a film written, produced and directed by Afia Nathaniel, and Pakistan’s Official Submission for Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards, will open in New York at Cinema Village on October 9, and in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Music Hall on October 16. The opening weekend of DUKHTAR in New York will coincide with the International Day of the Girl Child and will feature special Q+As after the screenings. A national release will follow.
DUKHTAR premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to screen at numerous international film festivals including Busan, Sao Paulo, London, Stockholm, Dubai and Palm Springs, winning several awards along the way including “Best Director” and Audience Award for “Best Feature Film” at South Asian International Film Festival, Jury Award “Best World Feature” at Sonoma International Film Festival and Audience Award “Best Feature Film” at Créteil International Women’s Film Festival.
In a village in Pakistan, a young mother Allah Rakhi (Samiya Mumtaz) kidnaps her ten-year old daughter Zainab (Saleha Aref) to save her from a child marriage. Pursued by her husband’s family and the groom’s henchmen, they escape onto the open mountainous highway where seeking help Allah Rakhi convinces a reluctant Sohail, (Mohib Mirza) a cynical ex-Mujahid truck driver, to take them on-board. Described by Variety as “Crisp Grandeur”, the film unfolds against the surreal landscapes of northern mountainous Pakistan all the way to the vibrant city of Lahore as the deadly hunt for mother and daughter intensifies.
Shot in 30 days in below freezing conditions mostly in the disputed territory between Pakistan and India with more than 200 extras, and chase scenes filmed on the world’s highest altitude roads, helmed by a first-time female director-producer with an all-male crew of 40 men, this feminist road-trip movie has created history in the fledgling independent film industry of Pakistan.
Director Afia Nathaniel says, “The seed of the film is inspired by the true story of a mother from the tribal areas of Pakistan who kidnaps her two daughters and seeks a new future for them. The story resonated with me deeply because in Pakistan, I come from a humble family of very strong women, women who have endured extremely tough lives in hope of a better one for their children. So while studying Film Directing at Columbia University in New York, I penned a fictional screenplay for this road-trip thriller. The mother’s journey into the unknown would raise important questions about the price we are willing to pay for freedom, dignity and love in a time when modernity, tradition and fundamentalism have come to a head. In the ten years that it took me to make this film, I became a mother to a daughter myself and the issue of child marriage became even more personal. Every year, around the world, nearly 15 million girls lose their childhood to marriage and for me this is an unacceptable reality. And so the determination to make the film and have it seen by audiences never left me.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo5xat8WLjU
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Watch TRAILER for MISSISSIPPI GRIND starring Ryan Reynolds & Ben Mendelsohn
A24 has released the trailer for MISSISSIPPI GRIND starring Ryan Reynolds, Ben Mendelsohn, Sienna Miller, Analeigh Tipton, Robin Weigert and Alfre Woodard. MISSISSIPPI GRIND opens in theaters September 25, 2015, and available on DirecTV August 13, 2015.
In this lively, freewheeling road movie, Emmy Award nominee Ben Mendelsohn plays Gerry, a talented but down-on-his-luck gambler whose fortunes begins to change when he meets Curtis (Ryan Reynolds), a younger, highly charismatic poker player. The two strike up an immediate friendship and Gerry quickly persuades his new friend to accompany him on a road trip to a legendary high stakes poker game in New Orleans. As they make their way down the Mississippi River, Gerry and Curtis manage to find themselves in just about every bar, racetrack, casino, and pool hall they can find, experiencing both incredible highs and dispiriting lows, but ultimately forging a deep and genuine bond that will stay with them long after their adventure is over.
Reminiscent of classic 1970s American Cinema, Mississippi Grind is an unforgettable journey featuring two characters who—flawed as they may be—are always worth rooting for. It’s a film about friendship, addiction, regret, family, and the paths we sometimes unexpectedly find ourselves on—told with empathy, humor, and a remarkable light touch by acclaimed filmmakers Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson, It’s Kind of A Funny Story).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p1MNB6TNQU
Mississippi Grind also stars Sienna Miller, Analeigh Tipton, Robin Weigert, and Alfre Woodard.
It is produced by Jamie Patricof and Lynette Howell, who previously worked with Fleck and Boden on Half Nelson, and also produced The Place Beyond the Pines and Blue Valentine.
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Watch Official Trailer for HE NAMED ME MALALA Documentary
Here is the official trailer for the documentary, HE NAMED ME MALALA, an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded. HE NAMED ME MALALA opens in select theaters on October 2, 2015.
HE NAMED ME MALALA is an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The then 15-year-old (she turns 18 this July) was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education, and the attack on her sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for Superman) shows us how Malala, her father Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. The film gives us an inside glimpse into this extraordinary young girl’s life – from her close relationship with her father who inspired her love for education, to her impassioned speeches at the UN, to her everyday life with her parents and brothers.
“One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” – Malala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtROMdwltJE