Rushes: Bruno Dumont's "The Empire," John Carpenter Interviewed, Hito Steyerl x Film Comment Podcast
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSHaunted Hotel.The British Film Institute has begun unveiling the program for the London Film Festival, which runs from October 5-16. So far, they have announced the official competition, featuring films from Alice Diop, Mark Jenkin, and Hlynur Pálmason, and the VR- and Ar-oriented "Extended Realities" strand, including a new work from Guy Maddin, Haunted Hotel.Production has begun on Bruno Dumont's The Empire. Cineuropa reports that the science-fiction film depicts the "epic parallel life of knights from interplanetary kingdoms"; the cast includes Lyna Khoudri (César-winner for Papicha) and the gendarmerie duo from Li'l Quinquin, Bernard Pruvost and Philippe Jore.The international film critics association Fipresci have chosen the winner of their 2022 Grand Prix for Film of the Year: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's Drive My Car.Recommended VIEWINGAndrew Mau and Alan Mak's seminal...
- 8/30/2022
- MUBI
George Takei says he's "shocked and bewildered" at claims made by a former model/actor who says the "Star Trek" star drugged and sexually assaulted him in 1981. Takei is responding to allegations made by Scott B. Brunton, who says 36 years ago he went to dinner and the theatre with Takei. Brunton says when they went back to Takei's home he was given some sort of date rape drug, causing him to pass out. He says...
- 11/11/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
We’ve got enough Marvel to worry about on Netflix and the big screen but you can’t deny that there’s been some momentum building up for the budding series “Inhumans.” So far we’ve only gotten glimpses of what the show is going to bring us. A quote here, a synopsis there, but nothing too concrete. However, it appears that someone at Marvel is going to be in big trouble after leaking the trailer for the series. The first trailer for Marvel’s Inhumans has leaked online – apparently from showrunner Scott Buck (if you believe that “Scott B.” watermark). Inhumans premieres its
First Marvel’s Inhumans Trailer Leaked...
First Marvel’s Inhumans Trailer Leaked...
- 6/13/2017
- by Nat Berman
- TVovermind.com
ScreenAnarchy has an exclusive clip from Scott B. Hanson's horror flick The Possession Experiment. The film was written by Mary J. Dixon and Hansen. It stars Chris Minor, Jake Brinn, Nicky Jasper with KT Fanelli and horror icon Bill Moseley. In the clip Brandon and Clay load up an old VHS tape and watch some creepy footage of an exorcism. Have a look for yourself. The Possession Experiment tells the story of Brandon (Minor), who has always been drawn to the supernatural. So when asked to pick a topic to base his final world theology class project on, he decides to explore the dark world of exorcisms. Teamed up with three classmates, the group investigates a multiple homicide that they eventually discover was...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 11/29/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Exclusive: Edward Noeltner’s Cinema Management Group has reported robust sales on the Croisette led by its hotly anticipated ‘painted animation’ starring Saoirse Ronan.
After closing a slew of deals on Loving Vincent in the run-up to Cannes, the upcoming film continues to entice buyers and the public alike, with Noeltner claiming that more than 110million people have watched the teaser.
Rights have gone in Japan (Parco), Scandinavia (Non-Stop), Italy (Adler), Colombia (CineColombia), and Israel (Shoval). Noeltner is in talks with interested parties for Us rights.
Loving Vincent chronicles the final days in the life of Vincent van Gogh and...
After closing a slew of deals on Loving Vincent in the run-up to Cannes, the upcoming film continues to entice buyers and the public alike, with Noeltner claiming that more than 110million people have watched the teaser.
Rights have gone in Japan (Parco), Scandinavia (Non-Stop), Italy (Adler), Colombia (CineColombia), and Israel (Shoval). Noeltner is in talks with interested parties for Us rights.
Loving Vincent chronicles the final days in the life of Vincent van Gogh and...
- 6/15/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Edward Noeltner’s Cinema Management Group has added a pair of horror-thrillers to its international sales slate in Berlin.
The pair of films hail from Blue Fox Entertainment and include Havenhurst (pictured) directed by Andrew C Erin and starring Julie Benz, Fionnula Flanagan and Belle Shouse.
Erin and Daniel Farrands wrote the story about a guilt-ridden young mother who checks out of rehab into a swanky apartment complex run by a sadistic manager.
There she is drawn into the mysteries of Havenhurst, in particular the unsolved disappearance of the apartment’s previous occupant and the dark forces that lurk within.
Jina Panebianco, Tosca Musk and Erin produce the Twisted Pictures presentation of a Protocol Entertainment and Rma Media Partners film in association with Blue Fox Entertainment. Mark Burg and Wesley Sierk serve as executive producers.
The Possession Experiment is directed by Scott B Hansen from an original script he co-wrote with Mary Dixon about a theology...
The pair of films hail from Blue Fox Entertainment and include Havenhurst (pictured) directed by Andrew C Erin and starring Julie Benz, Fionnula Flanagan and Belle Shouse.
Erin and Daniel Farrands wrote the story about a guilt-ridden young mother who checks out of rehab into a swanky apartment complex run by a sadistic manager.
There she is drawn into the mysteries of Havenhurst, in particular the unsolved disappearance of the apartment’s previous occupant and the dark forces that lurk within.
Jina Panebianco, Tosca Musk and Erin produce the Twisted Pictures presentation of a Protocol Entertainment and Rma Media Partners film in association with Blue Fox Entertainment. Mark Burg and Wesley Sierk serve as executive producers.
The Possession Experiment is directed by Scott B Hansen from an original script he co-wrote with Mary Dixon about a theology...
- 1/28/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Complete list of winners and nominees of the 2014 Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center on Sunday February 8. Winners will be updated as they're announced during the telecast and pre-telecast. Record Of The Year “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli Xcx “Chandelier,” Sia **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith “Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor Album Of The Year **Winner** “Morning Phase,” Beck “Beyoncé,” Beyoncé “X,” Ed Sheeran “In The Lonely Hour,” Sam Smith “Girl,” Pharrell Williams Song Of The Year “All About That Bass,” Kevin Kadish & Meghan Trainor, songwriters (Meghan Trainor) “Chandelier,” Sia Furler & Jesse Shatkin, songwriters (Sia) “Shake It Off,” Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift) **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith, songwriters (Sam Smith) “Take Me To Church,” Andrew Hozier-Byrne, songwriter (Hozier) Best New Artist Iggy Azalea Bastille Brandy Clark...
- 2/8/2015
- by Donna Dickens
- Hitfix
It’s lucky 13 — as in 13th annual edition — for Switzerland’s Lausanne Underground Film Festival, an epic celebration of cinematic weirdness, violence, filth and everything else that makes life worth living. The wild debauchery runs October 15-19.
The fest opens on Oct. 15 with the feature film debut by Leah Meyerhoff, I Believe in Unicorns, which tells the story of a troubled teenage girl who runs away with an aggressive older boy.
Other new films include the misanthropic comedy Buzzard by Joel Potrykus; the deep woods psychological thriller Mother Nature by Johan Liedgren; the complex Japanese drama Kept by Maki Mizui; and more.
Luff this year is really stuffed with great retrospectives beginning with a tribute to Beth B, who has been churning out controversial, thought-provoking flicks since the New York No Wave era to know. There will be screenings of her classic films, such as The Offenders and Salvation!, and her latest documentary,...
The fest opens on Oct. 15 with the feature film debut by Leah Meyerhoff, I Believe in Unicorns, which tells the story of a troubled teenage girl who runs away with an aggressive older boy.
Other new films include the misanthropic comedy Buzzard by Joel Potrykus; the deep woods psychological thriller Mother Nature by Johan Liedgren; the complex Japanese drama Kept by Maki Mizui; and more.
Luff this year is really stuffed with great retrospectives beginning with a tribute to Beth B, who has been churning out controversial, thought-provoking flicks since the New York No Wave era to know. There will be screenings of her classic films, such as The Offenders and Salvation!, and her latest documentary,...
- 10/10/2014
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Embedded above is the first music video ever produced for the legendary art rock band Sonic Youth, “Death Valley 69,” the eighth and final track on their 1985 album Bad Moon Rising. This is also the first music video that was co-directed by Richard Kern, one of the leading figures of the Cinema of Transgression movement. The song and the video are a perfect time capsule blend of audio and images from the raging punk scene coming out of NYC’s Lower East Side in the ’80s.
According to Jack Sargeant‘s definitive history of the Cinema of Transgression, Deathtripping, Judith Barry was originally hired to direct the video with Kern only hired to do the gore makeup special effects. However, Kern would end up co-directing along with Barry. (The video’s on-screen credits, listed in full below, also credit Sonic Youth as a co-director.)
The final video ends up being...
According to Jack Sargeant‘s definitive history of the Cinema of Transgression, Deathtripping, Judith Barry was originally hired to direct the video with Kern only hired to do the gore makeup special effects. However, Kern would end up co-directing along with Barry. (The video’s on-screen credits, listed in full below, also credit Sonic Youth as a co-director.)
The final video ends up being...
- 9/28/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
While always a city bursting with creative and artistic talent, there was probably no time more fertile in New York City than than '70s and '80s. Avant-garde art, hip hop, punk, no-wave, disco and more all clashed and mingled, leaving a lasting impression on pop culture, politics and the city itself. Among that noise and ruckus, independent filmmakers were also making a big wave, capturing New York's vibrancy in stories that inspired a new generation of directors. And that time has been captured in the documentary "Blank City."
Directed by Celine Danhier, the film explores the artists of the "No Wave Cinema" and "Cinema of Transgression" movements who shattered existing notions of Diy and underground art, and paved the way for today's independent film scene. Through interviews with Steve Buscemi, Debbie Harry, Jim Jarmusch, Fab 5 Freddy and John Waters and many more, the film presents a revealing...
Directed by Celine Danhier, the film explores the artists of the "No Wave Cinema" and "Cinema of Transgression" movements who shattered existing notions of Diy and underground art, and paved the way for today's independent film scene. Through interviews with Steve Buscemi, Debbie Harry, Jim Jarmusch, Fab 5 Freddy and John Waters and many more, the film presents a revealing...
- 4/9/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Featuring Jim Jarmusch, Debbie Harry, Steve Buscemi, John Lurie, Fab 5 Freddy, Thurston Moore,
Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch, Amos Poe, Eric Mitchell, James Nares, Maripol, Ann Magnuson,
James Chance, Beth B, Scott B and John Waters
A Film By
Opening at the IFC Center in New York on Friday, April 6
Before there was HD there was Super 8. Before Independent film there was Underground Cinema. And before New York there was.well, New York. Once upon a pre-Facebook time, before creative communities became virtual and viral, cultural movements were firmly grounded in geography. And the undisputed center of American . some would say international . art and film was New York City. In particular, downtown Manhattan in the late 1970.s and 80.s was the anchor of vanguard filmmaking.
Blank City tells the long-overdue tale of the motley crew of renegade filmmakers that emerged from an economically bankrupt and dangerous period of New York History.
Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch, Amos Poe, Eric Mitchell, James Nares, Maripol, Ann Magnuson,
James Chance, Beth B, Scott B and John Waters
A Film By
Opening at the IFC Center in New York on Friday, April 6
Before there was HD there was Super 8. Before Independent film there was Underground Cinema. And before New York there was.well, New York. Once upon a pre-Facebook time, before creative communities became virtual and viral, cultural movements were firmly grounded in geography. And the undisputed center of American . some would say international . art and film was New York City. In particular, downtown Manhattan in the late 1970.s and 80.s was the anchor of vanguard filmmaking.
Blank City tells the long-overdue tale of the motley crew of renegade filmmakers that emerged from an economically bankrupt and dangerous period of New York History.
- 3/17/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Featuring Jim Jarmusch, Debbie Harry, Steve Buscemi, John Lurie, Fab 5 Freddy, Thurston Moore,
Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch, Amos Poe, Eric Mitchell, James Nares, Maripol, Ann Magnuson,
James Chance, Beth B, Scott B and John Waters
A Film By
Opening at the IFC Center in New York on Friday, April 6
Before there was HD there was Super 8. Before Independent film there was Underground Cinema. And before New York there was.well, New York. Once upon a pre-Facebook time, before creative communities became virtual and viral, cultural movements were firmly grounded in geography. And the undisputed center of American . some would say international . art and film was New York City. In particular, downtown Manhattan in the late 1970.s and 80.s was the anchor of vanguard filmmaking.
Blank City tells the long-overdue tale of the motley crew of renegade filmmakers that emerged from an economically bankrupt and dangerous period of New York History.
Richard Kern, Lydia Lunch, Amos Poe, Eric Mitchell, James Nares, Maripol, Ann Magnuson,
James Chance, Beth B, Scott B and John Waters
A Film By
Opening at the IFC Center in New York on Friday, April 6
Before there was HD there was Super 8. Before Independent film there was Underground Cinema. And before New York there was.well, New York. Once upon a pre-Facebook time, before creative communities became virtual and viral, cultural movements were firmly grounded in geography. And the undisputed center of American . some would say international . art and film was New York City. In particular, downtown Manhattan in the late 1970.s and 80.s was the anchor of vanguard filmmaking.
Blank City tells the long-overdue tale of the motley crew of renegade filmmakers that emerged from an economically bankrupt and dangerous period of New York History.
- 3/10/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In The Ruins, fun-loving youths on holiday in Mexico make a day trip to an ancient Mayan ruin where they become trapped by flesh-eating vines. While not as silly as it sounds, it nevertheless is silly (as are most horror films), and while certainly different, the payoff isn't there.
The film stems from a novel by Scott Smith, which has its enthusiasts, so the concept possibly works better on paper. Give neophyte director Carter Smith and Scott Smith, adapting his own novel, an A for making an effort to evolve a fresh horror flick but a C for execution and D for too many cheap thrills. That leaves you with a C-minus exploitationer that has its under-25 appeal, will drop precipitously at the boxoffice next weekend and be out on DVD very soon.
Amy (Jena Malone) and Stacy (Laura Ramsey) are soaking up rays and cervezas on sun-blasted beaches with their boyfriends, med student Jeff (Jonathan Tucker) and fun-loving Eric (Shawn Ashmore). A chance encounter with German tourist Mathias (Joe Anderson) and his Greek pal Dimitri (Dimitri Baveas) leads to the decision to trek to a Mayan ruin, where Mathias' brother has gone missing.
Upon arrival, local Mayans, whose language they don't speak, are extremely upset by their presence at the vine-covered pyramid. Strangely, the Mayans force them to climb hurriedly to the top by killing Dimitri. It gradually dawns on the remaining five that the Mayans are "quarantining" them because of their contact with the vines.
In Ruins, the horror comes from within the group. The man-eating plants are a mere gimmick to force a series of confrontations and decisions among the tourists. The human reactions range from fear and denial to suspicion, accusations, madness and murder along with several grotesque surgical procedures and plant invasions of bodies that give the prosthetics designer free reign.
If anything, the film is too timid in these developments. The protagonists come by their paranoia honestly, and most decisions make sense at the time. With one exception, the external pressures never really warp the minds and spirits of these people.
Also the rules of engagement are never clear. At times, the vines act like second cousins to the bloodthirsty plant in Little Shop of Horrors -- they just crave human flesh. Yet the Mayans seem to feel mere contact with the vine infects a person. So what would happen if they did walk out of the jungle? There also is a sci-fi element in which the vines' flowers mimic sounds and human speech, a thing likely to provoke laugher rather than screams.
In the end, the gimmick is too risible and its effects on the characters too forced to sustain either suspense or horror.
THE RUINS
Paramount
DreamWorks and Spyglass Entertainment present a Red Hour production
Credits:
Director: Carter Smith
Screenwriter: Scott B. Smith
Based on the book by: Scott Smith
Producers: Stuart Cornfeld, Jeremy Kramer, Chris Bender
Executive producers: Ben Stiller, Trish Hofmann, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum
Director of photography: Darius Khondji
Production designer: Grant Major
Music: Graeme Revell
Costume designer: LIzzy Gardiner
Visual effects supervisor: Gregory L. McMurry
Editor: Jeff Betancourt
Cast:
Jeff: Jonathan Tucker
Amy: Jena Malone
Eric: Shawn Ashmore
Stacy: Laura Ramsey
Mathias: Joe Anderson
Dimitri: Dimitri Baveas
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
The film stems from a novel by Scott Smith, which has its enthusiasts, so the concept possibly works better on paper. Give neophyte director Carter Smith and Scott Smith, adapting his own novel, an A for making an effort to evolve a fresh horror flick but a C for execution and D for too many cheap thrills. That leaves you with a C-minus exploitationer that has its under-25 appeal, will drop precipitously at the boxoffice next weekend and be out on DVD very soon.
Amy (Jena Malone) and Stacy (Laura Ramsey) are soaking up rays and cervezas on sun-blasted beaches with their boyfriends, med student Jeff (Jonathan Tucker) and fun-loving Eric (Shawn Ashmore). A chance encounter with German tourist Mathias (Joe Anderson) and his Greek pal Dimitri (Dimitri Baveas) leads to the decision to trek to a Mayan ruin, where Mathias' brother has gone missing.
Upon arrival, local Mayans, whose language they don't speak, are extremely upset by their presence at the vine-covered pyramid. Strangely, the Mayans force them to climb hurriedly to the top by killing Dimitri. It gradually dawns on the remaining five that the Mayans are "quarantining" them because of their contact with the vines.
In Ruins, the horror comes from within the group. The man-eating plants are a mere gimmick to force a series of confrontations and decisions among the tourists. The human reactions range from fear and denial to suspicion, accusations, madness and murder along with several grotesque surgical procedures and plant invasions of bodies that give the prosthetics designer free reign.
If anything, the film is too timid in these developments. The protagonists come by their paranoia honestly, and most decisions make sense at the time. With one exception, the external pressures never really warp the minds and spirits of these people.
Also the rules of engagement are never clear. At times, the vines act like second cousins to the bloodthirsty plant in Little Shop of Horrors -- they just crave human flesh. Yet the Mayans seem to feel mere contact with the vine infects a person. So what would happen if they did walk out of the jungle? There also is a sci-fi element in which the vines' flowers mimic sounds and human speech, a thing likely to provoke laugher rather than screams.
In the end, the gimmick is too risible and its effects on the characters too forced to sustain either suspense or horror.
THE RUINS
Paramount
DreamWorks and Spyglass Entertainment present a Red Hour production
Credits:
Director: Carter Smith
Screenwriter: Scott B. Smith
Based on the book by: Scott Smith
Producers: Stuart Cornfeld, Jeremy Kramer, Chris Bender
Executive producers: Ben Stiller, Trish Hofmann, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum
Director of photography: Darius Khondji
Production designer: Grant Major
Music: Graeme Revell
Costume designer: LIzzy Gardiner
Visual effects supervisor: Gregory L. McMurry
Editor: Jeff Betancourt
Cast:
Jeff: Jonathan Tucker
Amy: Jena Malone
Eric: Shawn Ashmore
Stacy: Laura Ramsey
Mathias: Joe Anderson
Dimitri: Dimitri Baveas
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
By Neil Pedley
This week is something of a nostalgia trip with a period comedy, Freddie Prinze Jr. and a concert documentary about a group of men who, by all the laws of man and nature, should not still be alive and walking around.
"The Flight of the Red Balloon"
After being nominated for the Palme d'Or an incredible five times at Cannes, it's no wonder that director Hou Hsiao-hsien has become a Francophile. In his first film outside of Asia, the "Three Times" auteur directs the country's first lady of cinema, Juliette Binoche, in a story about an overburdened mother who receives a much-needed lift from her son's Chinese nanny (Song Fang) as they turn the City of Lights into a magical playground for the 7-year-old Simon . a tribute to Albert Lamorisse's 1956 short. In French with subtitles.
Opens in limited release.
"Jack and Jill vs. the World...
This week is something of a nostalgia trip with a period comedy, Freddie Prinze Jr. and a concert documentary about a group of men who, by all the laws of man and nature, should not still be alive and walking around.
"The Flight of the Red Balloon"
After being nominated for the Palme d'Or an incredible five times at Cannes, it's no wonder that director Hou Hsiao-hsien has become a Francophile. In his first film outside of Asia, the "Three Times" auteur directs the country's first lady of cinema, Juliette Binoche, in a story about an overburdened mother who receives a much-needed lift from her son's Chinese nanny (Song Fang) as they turn the City of Lights into a magical playground for the 7-year-old Simon . a tribute to Albert Lamorisse's 1956 short. In French with subtitles.
Opens in limited release.
"Jack and Jill vs. the World...
- 3/31/2008
- by Neil Pedley
- ifc.com
Los Angeles Film Festival
The evergreen topic of kids' competitions gets a new twist in Jump! a winning documentary about competitive jump roping that follows a group of charismatic young athletes from intensive training to the sport's world championships. Yes, to these kids, their families, coaches and supporters, jump roping is a serious sport that some affirm will one day become an Olympic event. Enlivened by spirited subject matter, engaging interviews and remarkable athleticism, "Jump!" has all the right moves for sustained festival play and could find a welcome reception in limited theatrical release before landing adroitly on TV and DVD.
No longer limited to a playground pastime or traditional double-dutch leagues, jump roping now involves 400,000 boys, girls and teens worldwide in local, regional and national events, culminating in the biennial world competition. Docu producer Helen Hood Scheer stepped into this unfamiliar arena for her directorial debut, following six teams of jumpers over two years beginning in 2005.
Scheer focuses on promising competitors from each team, including 19-year-old world champion Marcus, powerhouse high school teammates Nick and Jeff and speed demon Tori, 12. In-depth personal interviews with the athletes, as well as their coaches and family members, along with scenes of training sessions, establish each subject's personality and competitive goals.
Marcus, Nick, Jeff and Tori are among the contenders who go on to the annual ESPN-broadcast national competition that forms the centerpiece of the docu as the filmmakers feature the top athletes and most imposing events. Originality and risk-taking are among the hallmarks of jump roping, inspiring competitors to devise increasingly complex and challenging routines that they are surprisingly open to sharing with others.
Scheer's informal interviews and mobile digital camerawork spotlighting intense contest sequences adeptly capture the essence of the sport. Scott B. Morgan's dynamic editing, employing split screen and widescreen, multiple-image techniques, echoes the jumpers' creativity. While the filmmakers' enthusiasm for the sport is equal to their subjects', some repetitive sequences are unnecessary and several scenes and interviews that are marred by poor audio or unfocused shots could be edited or handled in voice-over. The multiplicity of participants is sometimes difficult to follow and overall at least 10 minutes could be cut from the 100-minute running time.
Throughout the film, the contestants make a lasting impression with their skill, determination, camaraderie and anything-goes enthusiasm. "Jump!" amply demonstrates that jump roping is a rapidly growing sport that deserves a place alongside more traditional athletic events -- and maybe even a shot at the Olympics.
JUMP!
Nutshell Prods.
Credits:
Director/producer/director of photography: Helen Hood Scheer
Screenwriters: Helen Hood Scheer, Scott B. Morgan
Executive producer: Andrew Herwitz
Music: Matt Messina
Editor: Scott B. Morgan
Running time -- 100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
The evergreen topic of kids' competitions gets a new twist in Jump! a winning documentary about competitive jump roping that follows a group of charismatic young athletes from intensive training to the sport's world championships. Yes, to these kids, their families, coaches and supporters, jump roping is a serious sport that some affirm will one day become an Olympic event. Enlivened by spirited subject matter, engaging interviews and remarkable athleticism, "Jump!" has all the right moves for sustained festival play and could find a welcome reception in limited theatrical release before landing adroitly on TV and DVD.
No longer limited to a playground pastime or traditional double-dutch leagues, jump roping now involves 400,000 boys, girls and teens worldwide in local, regional and national events, culminating in the biennial world competition. Docu producer Helen Hood Scheer stepped into this unfamiliar arena for her directorial debut, following six teams of jumpers over two years beginning in 2005.
Scheer focuses on promising competitors from each team, including 19-year-old world champion Marcus, powerhouse high school teammates Nick and Jeff and speed demon Tori, 12. In-depth personal interviews with the athletes, as well as their coaches and family members, along with scenes of training sessions, establish each subject's personality and competitive goals.
Marcus, Nick, Jeff and Tori are among the contenders who go on to the annual ESPN-broadcast national competition that forms the centerpiece of the docu as the filmmakers feature the top athletes and most imposing events. Originality and risk-taking are among the hallmarks of jump roping, inspiring competitors to devise increasingly complex and challenging routines that they are surprisingly open to sharing with others.
Scheer's informal interviews and mobile digital camerawork spotlighting intense contest sequences adeptly capture the essence of the sport. Scott B. Morgan's dynamic editing, employing split screen and widescreen, multiple-image techniques, echoes the jumpers' creativity. While the filmmakers' enthusiasm for the sport is equal to their subjects', some repetitive sequences are unnecessary and several scenes and interviews that are marred by poor audio or unfocused shots could be edited or handled in voice-over. The multiplicity of participants is sometimes difficult to follow and overall at least 10 minutes could be cut from the 100-minute running time.
Throughout the film, the contestants make a lasting impression with their skill, determination, camaraderie and anything-goes enthusiasm. "Jump!" amply demonstrates that jump roping is a rapidly growing sport that deserves a place alongside more traditional athletic events -- and maybe even a shot at the Olympics.
JUMP!
Nutshell Prods.
Credits:
Director/producer/director of photography: Helen Hood Scheer
Screenwriters: Helen Hood Scheer, Scott B. Morgan
Executive producer: Andrew Herwitz
Music: Matt Messina
Editor: Scott B. Morgan
Running time -- 100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 7/23/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Even the simplest things can get out of hand pretty fast, as witnessed in this terse small-town thriller starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton and directed by Sam Raimi.
Flecked with the sparse, rich detail of rural Minnesota, this well-made drama unfortunately lurches into motivational lapses under the girth of its trip-wire plotting. Still, "A Simple Plan" is filled with ample pleasures, most prominently Thornton's addled and endearing portrayal of -- you'll never believe this -- a rube simpleton.
High-coastal cognoscenti who have formed their opinion of the Midwest through the Coen brothers' fractured frivolities will possibly be disappointed by this starkly naturalistic and chillingly accurate depiction of small-town life -- which is likely to harvest some initial interest on the select-site circuit, primarily in the upper Midwest. But this dimly scoped drama may be unappealing in the sunnier, noisier parts of the country, and the select-site viewers it draws may find its complex plottings a tad obvious after a bit.
A mite bigger (but not much) than those four-corner burgs with three taverns and a gas station, this town has a Main Street and a couple perpendiculars and then immediately congeals into a mix of tidy white houses and borderline stand-ups. In one of these frugal-but-homey domains resides "A Simple Plan"'s touchstone couple -- hard-working, underpaid bookkeeper Hank (Paxton) and his pregnant wife (Bridget Fonda). Like every respectable little-town guy, Hank still has goofy friends from school days (of course, they're not too far away) including his simple-minded brother Jason Thornton) and his beer buddy Lou (Brent Briscoe). They're not the kind of duo that conscientious Hank should hang out with.
Against his big-brotherish better judgment, Hank gets together with the pair one late-winter afternoon and, naturally, they get in trouble. After an auto mishap, they wander into the woods and trip upon a crashed private plane. No one knows it's there (the pilot is dead), and it's carrying a suitcase with $440,000 in cash. What to do? Good-guy Hank has the urge to do the right thing. But he is outvoted: His brother and buddy decide to keep the dough. After all, who will know?
Narratively, "A Simple Plan" is one of those philosophical/narrative constructs structured around a "what if"-type happenstance -- namely the opportunity to do something unbelievably prosperous with little chance of getting caught. Unfortunately, screenwriter Scott B. Smith's scenario is decidedly predictable, and we soon catch on to the trio's antics and outcome. There are some plot inconsistencies and motivations that diminish the story line. Nevertheless, the film is layered with canny moral underpinnings that make for provocative questions.
Overall, "A Simple Plan" is highlighted by the superb acting. Thornton is moving as a simple-minded middle American; he's sympathetic and maddening. Paxton exudes complexity as the fair-minded brother. Briscoe is smartly startling as the frantic friend.
Technical contributions are well realized, particularly cinematographer Alar Kivilo's stark lensing that illuminates the complex moral ambiguities in the story. Also, special praise to production designer Patrizia Von Brandenstein for the shrewd and perceptive layout.
A SIMPLE PLAN
Paramount Pictures
Mutual Film Co.
In association with Savoy Pictures
A Sam Raimi film
Producers: James Jacks, Adam Schroeder
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Scott B. Smith
Executive producers: Gary Levinsohn, Mark Gordon
Co-producer: Michael Polaire
Based upon the novel by: Scott B. Smith
Director of photography: Alar Kivilo
Production design: Patrizia Von Brandenstein
Editors: Arthur Coburn, Eric Beason
Costume design: Julie Weiss
Music: Danny Elfman
Casting: Ilene Starger
Sound mixer: Ed Novick
Color/stereo
Cast:
Hank: Bill Paxton
Sarah: Bridget Fonda
Jacob: Billy Bob Thornton
Lou: Brent Briscoe
Tom Butler: Jack Walsh
Carl: Chelcie Ross
Nancy: Becky Ann Baker
Running time -- 121 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Flecked with the sparse, rich detail of rural Minnesota, this well-made drama unfortunately lurches into motivational lapses under the girth of its trip-wire plotting. Still, "A Simple Plan" is filled with ample pleasures, most prominently Thornton's addled and endearing portrayal of -- you'll never believe this -- a rube simpleton.
High-coastal cognoscenti who have formed their opinion of the Midwest through the Coen brothers' fractured frivolities will possibly be disappointed by this starkly naturalistic and chillingly accurate depiction of small-town life -- which is likely to harvest some initial interest on the select-site circuit, primarily in the upper Midwest. But this dimly scoped drama may be unappealing in the sunnier, noisier parts of the country, and the select-site viewers it draws may find its complex plottings a tad obvious after a bit.
A mite bigger (but not much) than those four-corner burgs with three taverns and a gas station, this town has a Main Street and a couple perpendiculars and then immediately congeals into a mix of tidy white houses and borderline stand-ups. In one of these frugal-but-homey domains resides "A Simple Plan"'s touchstone couple -- hard-working, underpaid bookkeeper Hank (Paxton) and his pregnant wife (Bridget Fonda). Like every respectable little-town guy, Hank still has goofy friends from school days (of course, they're not too far away) including his simple-minded brother Jason Thornton) and his beer buddy Lou (Brent Briscoe). They're not the kind of duo that conscientious Hank should hang out with.
Against his big-brotherish better judgment, Hank gets together with the pair one late-winter afternoon and, naturally, they get in trouble. After an auto mishap, they wander into the woods and trip upon a crashed private plane. No one knows it's there (the pilot is dead), and it's carrying a suitcase with $440,000 in cash. What to do? Good-guy Hank has the urge to do the right thing. But he is outvoted: His brother and buddy decide to keep the dough. After all, who will know?
Narratively, "A Simple Plan" is one of those philosophical/narrative constructs structured around a "what if"-type happenstance -- namely the opportunity to do something unbelievably prosperous with little chance of getting caught. Unfortunately, screenwriter Scott B. Smith's scenario is decidedly predictable, and we soon catch on to the trio's antics and outcome. There are some plot inconsistencies and motivations that diminish the story line. Nevertheless, the film is layered with canny moral underpinnings that make for provocative questions.
Overall, "A Simple Plan" is highlighted by the superb acting. Thornton is moving as a simple-minded middle American; he's sympathetic and maddening. Paxton exudes complexity as the fair-minded brother. Briscoe is smartly startling as the frantic friend.
Technical contributions are well realized, particularly cinematographer Alar Kivilo's stark lensing that illuminates the complex moral ambiguities in the story. Also, special praise to production designer Patrizia Von Brandenstein for the shrewd and perceptive layout.
A SIMPLE PLAN
Paramount Pictures
Mutual Film Co.
In association with Savoy Pictures
A Sam Raimi film
Producers: James Jacks, Adam Schroeder
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Scott B. Smith
Executive producers: Gary Levinsohn, Mark Gordon
Co-producer: Michael Polaire
Based upon the novel by: Scott B. Smith
Director of photography: Alar Kivilo
Production design: Patrizia Von Brandenstein
Editors: Arthur Coburn, Eric Beason
Costume design: Julie Weiss
Music: Danny Elfman
Casting: Ilene Starger
Sound mixer: Ed Novick
Color/stereo
Cast:
Hank: Bill Paxton
Sarah: Bridget Fonda
Jacob: Billy Bob Thornton
Lou: Brent Briscoe
Tom Butler: Jack Walsh
Carl: Chelcie Ross
Nancy: Becky Ann Baker
Running time -- 121 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 12/9/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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