As the U.S. surpasses 240 school shootings in 2023, setting the stage for a record-breaking year of gun violence in schools, Sandy Hook Promise (Shp) is launching “Just Joking,” its latest public service announcement (PSA) to underscore how important it is to take threats of gun violence seriously.
The PSA features a lineup of renowned comedians – including Billy Eichner, Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho, Jay Pharoah, Roy Wood Jr., Caitlin Reilly, David Cross, Iliza Shlesinger and Rachel Bloom – who lend their wit to deliver a sobering message: Threats are not jokes. If you see a warning sign of violence, always say something.
In the PSA, audience members assume that comedians are performing regular stand-up routines and “Just Joking.” However, it is later revealed that what the audience thought were punchlines were actually all real threats made by school shooters across the country – including the shooter at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX who...
The PSA features a lineup of renowned comedians – including Billy Eichner, Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho, Jay Pharoah, Roy Wood Jr., Caitlin Reilly, David Cross, Iliza Shlesinger and Rachel Bloom – who lend their wit to deliver a sobering message: Threats are not jokes. If you see a warning sign of violence, always say something.
In the PSA, audience members assume that comedians are performing regular stand-up routines and “Just Joking.” However, it is later revealed that what the audience thought were punchlines were actually all real threats made by school shooters across the country – including the shooter at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX who...
- 10/4/2023
- Look to the Stars
Jasper Polish (Force of Nature), Darren Mann (Fortunate Son), Kevin Csolak (Boardwalk Empire) and Stevie Lynn Jones (Nancy Drew) will join the Animal Kingdom cast in recurring roles for the TNT drama’s sixth and final season.
Animal Kingdom, which features Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Leila George, Rigo Sanchez and Jon Beavers, will return for its fifth season this summer. In Season 5, Pope (Hatosy), Craig (Robson), Deran (Weary) and J (Cole) are still dealing with the fallout from the events surrounding Smurf’s death, including family members out for revenge. With their kingdom without a leader, the Codys struggle to maintain their fragile alliance, and to see which of them will come out on top. Meanwhile, they search for more information on Pamela Johnson, whom Smurf made the beneficiary of her estate. And back in 1984, an increasingly volatile 29-year-old Smurf is forging her own path raising...
Animal Kingdom, which features Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Leila George, Rigo Sanchez and Jon Beavers, will return for its fifth season this summer. In Season 5, Pope (Hatosy), Craig (Robson), Deran (Weary) and J (Cole) are still dealing with the fallout from the events surrounding Smurf’s death, including family members out for revenge. With their kingdom without a leader, the Codys struggle to maintain their fragile alliance, and to see which of them will come out on top. Meanwhile, they search for more information on Pamela Johnson, whom Smurf made the beneficiary of her estate. And back in 1984, an increasingly volatile 29-year-old Smurf is forging her own path raising...
- 4/14/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
The absence of live sports during the novel coronavirus pandemic doesn’t mean a dearth of interesting sports narratives. There’s a whole ecosystem of documentaries telling tales from in and around the world of athletics that many sports fans have yet to discover.
The Last Dance, ESPN’s 10-part saga chronicling the final season of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls championship dynasty, already has its hooks into hungry hoop heads. Den of Geek also recently offered choice selections from the meaty back catalog of docs available on ESPN+.
The 30 for 30 collection from ESPN is great and all, but the Worldwide Leader hasn’t cornered the market on brilliant non-fiction sports storytelling. Consider these 10 must-watch sports documentaries, all of which can be found either for free or included in streaming subscriptions, if you’re looking for more fascinating sports stories until the live action resumes.
Hoop Dreams
Streaming on HBO Now...
The Last Dance, ESPN’s 10-part saga chronicling the final season of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls championship dynasty, already has its hooks into hungry hoop heads. Den of Geek also recently offered choice selections from the meaty back catalog of docs available on ESPN+.
The 30 for 30 collection from ESPN is great and all, but the Worldwide Leader hasn’t cornered the market on brilliant non-fiction sports storytelling. Consider these 10 must-watch sports documentaries, all of which can be found either for free or included in streaming subscriptions, if you’re looking for more fascinating sports stories until the live action resumes.
Hoop Dreams
Streaming on HBO Now...
- 4/30/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
I was able to get an early screener for the movie Semper Fi last weekend, and I was really surprised by the film. It was co-written and directed by Henry Alex Rubin, and co-written by Sean Mullin (Amira and Sam). The film stars Jai Courtney (The Suicide Squad), Nat Wolff (Paper Towns), Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl), Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story), Beau Knapp (Destroyer), and Arturo Castro (Narcos).
In the film, Cal (Courtney) is a police officer in the Marine Corps Reserve who is trying to get by while helping his younger half-brother Oyster (Wolff) stay out of trouble. Cal is put in a difficult situation when Oyster is imprisoned for an accidental murder, and he is deployed for Iraq alongside their friends. The film gave me the feeling that I was watching the real story of these men who had known each other their entire lives. They were so real,...
In the film, Cal (Courtney) is a police officer in the Marine Corps Reserve who is trying to get by while helping his younger half-brother Oyster (Wolff) stay out of trouble. Cal is put in a difficult situation when Oyster is imprisoned for an accidental murder, and he is deployed for Iraq alongside their friends. The film gave me the feeling that I was watching the real story of these men who had known each other their entire lives. They were so real,...
- 10/4/2019
- by Jessica Fisher
- GeekTyrant
The horrors of murder, war, imprisonment and abuse somehow make for a drab little drama in Henry Alex Rubin’s sincere, but unremarkable “Semper Fi.”
The film takes events which should be riveting and makes them stalwart, pushing the biggest emotions and most complicated thoughts into too-short scenes that feel isolated from the rest of the movie. A documentary about these characters’ therapy sessions would be fascinating. The movie about how they got there? Not so much.
“Semper Fi” stars Jai Courtney as Callahan, a police officer and Marine Reservist, whose brother Oyster has always been a bit of screw up. Callahan had to call in favors to get the Marines to waive Oyster’s prior felonies so he could join the service. Callahan had to get Oyster his job at a burger joint. Oyster knows all this and, although he appreciates it, he resents that his brother looks at...
The film takes events which should be riveting and makes them stalwart, pushing the biggest emotions and most complicated thoughts into too-short scenes that feel isolated from the rest of the movie. A documentary about these characters’ therapy sessions would be fascinating. The movie about how they got there? Not so much.
“Semper Fi” stars Jai Courtney as Callahan, a police officer and Marine Reservist, whose brother Oyster has always been a bit of screw up. Callahan had to call in favors to get the Marines to waive Oyster’s prior felonies so he could join the service. Callahan had to get Oyster his job at a burger joint. Oyster knows all this and, although he appreciates it, he resents that his brother looks at...
- 10/3/2019
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
Action star Jai Courtney has begun to see more opportunities, in recent years, to flex his dramatic chops along with his muscles, utilizing his Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (Waapa) theater education. Known for projects such as “Spartacus,” “A Good Day to Die Hard,” “Terminator Genisys,” and “Suicide Squad,” Courtney has recently expanded both genres as well as the depth in his choice of roles with “Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later,” “Storm Boy,” “Buffaloed,” and “Semper Fi,” his latest film directed by Henry Alex Rubin (“Murderball“).
Continue reading Jai Courtney On ‘Semper Fi,’ ‘The Suicide Squad,’ Being “Pumped” About The New ‘Terminator’ & More [Interview] at The Playlist.
Continue reading Jai Courtney On ‘Semper Fi,’ ‘The Suicide Squad,’ Being “Pumped” About The New ‘Terminator’ & More [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 10/2/2019
- by Alex Arabian
- The Playlist
We have the first trailer for you to check out from the film Semper Fi, from writer and director Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball) and co-writer Sean Mullin (Amira & Sam). The film stars Jai Courtney and Nat Wolff as brothers who are trying to connect, on opposite sides of the law. Here’s the synopsis for the film:
Cal (Jai Courtney) is a by-the-book police officer who, along with his close-knit group of childhood friends, makes ends meet as a Marine Corps reservist. When his reckless younger half-brother, Oyster, is arrested after a bar fight and given an unfair prison sentence, Cal – driven by his loyalty to family and fierce code of honor – fights for Oyster (Nat Wolff) in this gripping tale of brotherhood and sacrifice.
The movie also stars Leighton Meester, Finn Wittrock, Arturo Castro, Beau Knapp, Rachel Hendrix, Wayne Pére, Ashton Leigh, Sylvia Grace Crim, Lance E. Nichols, and Rob Mello.
Cal (Jai Courtney) is a by-the-book police officer who, along with his close-knit group of childhood friends, makes ends meet as a Marine Corps reservist. When his reckless younger half-brother, Oyster, is arrested after a bar fight and given an unfair prison sentence, Cal – driven by his loyalty to family and fierce code of honor – fights for Oyster (Nat Wolff) in this gripping tale of brotherhood and sacrifice.
The movie also stars Leighton Meester, Finn Wittrock, Arturo Castro, Beau Knapp, Rachel Hendrix, Wayne Pére, Ashton Leigh, Sylvia Grace Crim, Lance E. Nichols, and Rob Mello.
- 8/30/2019
- by Jessica Fisher
- GeekTyrant
"I didn't need you to be my dad, I just needed you to be my brother." Lionsgate has released a trailer for a film titled Semper Fi, originally called Edge of Dawn while in development. The title is a reference to the Marine Corps slogan "semper fi" (in full: semper fidelis), which means "always loyal". The plot is about a police officer who serves in the Marine Corps Reserves who is faced with an ethical dilemma when it comes to helping his brother in prison. Jai Courtney stars as the "by-the-book" officer Cal, and Nat Wolff plays his brother. Also starring Leighton Meester, Finn Wittrock, Arturo Castro, Beau Knapp, Rachel Hendrix, Wayne Pére, Ashton Leigh, Sylvia Grace Crim, Lance E. Nichols, and Rob Mello. This has an interesting premise that plays on morals, but it doesn't seem like this has much to offer besides that. Here's the official trailer for...
- 8/28/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Apple snagged a big fish to run their documentary content division. New York-based A&E Networks documentary veteran Molly Thompson will bring her expertise in supervising documentary films and TV series to Apple, which has recently ramped up its content production, mostly on the television side. As demand for documentaries grows, A&E is losing a valuable player.
Of course, Apple has not yet announced exactly how it plans to release its content, documentary and otherwise. At Apple’s recent presentation, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she’s prepping documentary projects for Apple TV+, including investigations of poisonous work environments and the mental health industry. Apple also acquired the documentary “Elephant Queen” at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. At Sundance, the filmmakers told me that the film has an ambitious and proactive social-action global release plan that could include theaters. One strategic Apple partnership with indie distributor A24, which will produce films for Apple,...
Of course, Apple has not yet announced exactly how it plans to release its content, documentary and otherwise. At Apple’s recent presentation, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she’s prepping documentary projects for Apple TV+, including investigations of poisonous work environments and the mental health industry. Apple also acquired the documentary “Elephant Queen” at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. At Sundance, the filmmakers told me that the film has an ambitious and proactive social-action global release plan that could include theaters. One strategic Apple partnership with indie distributor A24, which will produce films for Apple,...
- 4/15/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Apple snagged a big fish to run their documentary content division. New York-based A&E Networks documentary veteran Molly Thompson will bring her expertise in supervising documentary films and TV series to Apple, which has recently ramped up its content production, mostly on the television side. As demand for documentaries grows, A&E is losing a valuable player.
Of course, Apple has not yet announced exactly how it plans to release its content, documentary and otherwise. At Apple’s recent presentation, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she’s prepping documentary projects for Apple TV+, including investigations of poisonous work environments and the mental health industry. Apple also acquired the documentary “Elephant Queen” at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. At Sundance, the filmmakers told me that the film has an ambitious and proactive social-action global release plan that could include theaters. One strategic Apple partnership with indie distributor A24, which will produce films for Apple,...
Of course, Apple has not yet announced exactly how it plans to release its content, documentary and otherwise. At Apple’s recent presentation, Oprah Winfrey revealed that she’s prepping documentary projects for Apple TV+, including investigations of poisonous work environments and the mental health industry. Apple also acquired the documentary “Elephant Queen” at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. At Sundance, the filmmakers told me that the film has an ambitious and proactive social-action global release plan that could include theaters. One strategic Apple partnership with indie distributor A24, which will produce films for Apple,...
- 4/15/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Tonight, A&E IndieFilms’ latest documentary, Matt Tyrnauer’s “Studio 54,” opens Outfest in Los Angeles before hitting theaters via Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber in October. Unusually, A&E IndieFilms senior VP Molly Thompson believes in theatrical play for her documentaries as a way to build awareness before they hit the air.
With streaming, she said, “it’s harder for the films to stand out. Theatrical is good for films. You have a whole year to go out to festivals and theaters before they come to A&E. We’re the opposite of HBO and Netflix.”
All these funding and distribution options make it “a great time for documentary filmmakers,” she said. “Even seven years ago people were starving. It was a difficult time. We were a big whale for filmmakers. Now they have so many options, and people are able to pay their bills.”
Thompson’s first job was...
With streaming, she said, “it’s harder for the films to stand out. Theatrical is good for films. You have a whole year to go out to festivals and theaters before they come to A&E. We’re the opposite of HBO and Netflix.”
All these funding and distribution options make it “a great time for documentary filmmakers,” she said. “Even seven years ago people were starving. It was a difficult time. We were a big whale for filmmakers. Now they have so many options, and people are able to pay their bills.”
Thompson’s first job was...
- 7/12/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Tonight, A&E IndieFilms’ latest documentary, Matt Tyrnauer’s “Studio 54,” opens Outfest in Los Angeles before hitting theaters via Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber in October. Unusually, A&E IndieFilms senior VP Molly Thompson believes in theatrical play for her documentaries as a way to build awareness before they hit the air.
With streaming, she said, “it’s harder for the films to stand out. Theatrical is good for films. You have a whole year to go out to festivals and theaters before they come to A&E. We’re the opposite of HBO and Netflix.”
All these funding and distribution options make it “a great time for documentary filmmakers,” she said. “Even seven years ago people were starving. It was a difficult time. We were a big whale for filmmakers. Now they have so many options, and people are able to pay their bills.”
Thompson’s first job was...
With streaming, she said, “it’s harder for the films to stand out. Theatrical is good for films. You have a whole year to go out to festivals and theaters before they come to A&E. We’re the opposite of HBO and Netflix.”
All these funding and distribution options make it “a great time for documentary filmmakers,” she said. “Even seven years ago people were starving. It was a difficult time. We were a big whale for filmmakers. Now they have so many options, and people are able to pay their bills.”
Thompson’s first job was...
- 7/12/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Swedish star made several high-profile forays into Hollywood.
Michael Nyqvist, the Swedish star who found international fame with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, died on Tuesday (27) following a battle with lung cancer. He was 56.
Nyqvist’s Us-based representatives issued a statement on Tuesday that read: “On behalf of Michael Nyqvist’s representatives and family, it is with deep sadness that I can confirm that our beloved Michael, one of Sweden’s most respected and accomplished actors, has passed away quietly surrounded by family after a year long battle with lung cancer. Michael’s joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him.”
Nyqvist will be most famous to non-Scandinavian audiences for his role as investigative reporter Mikael Blomkvist in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Niels Arden Oplev’s 2009 adaptation...
Michael Nyqvist, the Swedish star who found international fame with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, died on Tuesday (27) following a battle with lung cancer. He was 56.
Nyqvist’s Us-based representatives issued a statement on Tuesday that read: “On behalf of Michael Nyqvist’s representatives and family, it is with deep sadness that I can confirm that our beloved Michael, one of Sweden’s most respected and accomplished actors, has passed away quietly surrounded by family after a year long battle with lung cancer. Michael’s joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him.”
Nyqvist will be most famous to non-Scandinavian audiences for his role as investigative reporter Mikael Blomkvist in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Niels Arden Oplev’s 2009 adaptation...
- 6/27/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Swedish star made several high-profile forays into Hollywood.
Michael Nyqvist, the Swedish star who found international fame with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, died on Tuesday (27) following a battle with lung cancer. He was 56.
Nyqvist’s Us-based representatives issued a statement on Tuesday that read: “On behalf of Michael Nyqvist’s representatives and family, it is with deep sadness that I can confirm that our beloved Michael, one of Sweden’s most respected and accomplished actors, has passed away quietly surrounded by family after a year long battle with lung cancer. Michael’s joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him.”
Nyqvist will be most famous to non-Scandinavian audiences for his role as investigative reporter Mikael Blomkvist in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Niels Arden Oplev’s 2009 adaptation...
Michael Nyqvist, the Swedish star who found international fame with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, died on Tuesday (27) following a battle with lung cancer. He was 56.
Nyqvist’s Us-based representatives issued a statement on Tuesday that read: “On behalf of Michael Nyqvist’s representatives and family, it is with deep sadness that I can confirm that our beloved Michael, one of Sweden’s most respected and accomplished actors, has passed away quietly surrounded by family after a year long battle with lung cancer. Michael’s joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable, and his love for the arts was felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him.”
Nyqvist will be most famous to non-Scandinavian audiences for his role as investigative reporter Mikael Blomkvist in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Niels Arden Oplev’s 2009 adaptation...
- 6/27/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Nat Wolff has joined Sam Claflin in Henry-Alex Rubin's crime thriller Semper Fi. Cornerstone Films is handling sales for the title here in Cannes, with CAA co-repping domestic. Rubin pens the script with Sean Mullin and project is produced by Whiplash and Nightcrawler producer David Lancaster of Rumble Films and Karina Miller from Sparkhouse Media. Claflin leads the cast as Hopper, and Wolff joins as his younger brother Oyster. Hopper is a straight-laced cop who fills his…...
- 5/20/2017
- Deadline
Exclusive: Director says Wolff reminds him of a “young DiCaprio”.
Rising star Nat Wolff has come on board the Rumble Films and Sparkhouse Media crime thriller Semper Fi that Cornerstone Films is shopping to buyers here.
Wolff, a Ya darling who starred in The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns and will be seen later this year in Adam Wingard’s mystery thriller Death Note, will play Oyster, the young brother to Sam Clafin’s Hopper.
Henry-Alex Rubin will direct Semper Fi from a screenplay he co-wrote with Sean Mullin. Rumble Film’s David Lancaster, who was nominated for the best picture Oscar for Whiplash, and Karina Miller of Sparkhouse Media are producing.
CAA co-represents Us rights with Cornerstone to the story about Hopper, a straight-laced police officer and Marine Corps Reservists sergeant who forces his wild younger brother Oyster to face the music when he kills a man in a bar-room brawl.
After Hopper...
Rising star Nat Wolff has come on board the Rumble Films and Sparkhouse Media crime thriller Semper Fi that Cornerstone Films is shopping to buyers here.
Wolff, a Ya darling who starred in The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns and will be seen later this year in Adam Wingard’s mystery thriller Death Note, will play Oyster, the young brother to Sam Clafin’s Hopper.
Henry-Alex Rubin will direct Semper Fi from a screenplay he co-wrote with Sean Mullin. Rumble Film’s David Lancaster, who was nominated for the best picture Oscar for Whiplash, and Karina Miller of Sparkhouse Media are producing.
CAA co-represents Us rights with Cornerstone to the story about Hopper, a straight-laced police officer and Marine Corps Reservists sergeant who forces his wild younger brother Oyster to face the music when he kills a man in a bar-room brawl.
After Hopper...
- 5/20/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Hunger Games grad Sam Claflin is set to star in upcoming crime-thriller Semper Fi from Oscar-nominated director Henry-Alex Rubin (Murderball, Disconnect).
Claflin, recently seen in Me Before You and Their Finest and set to star in Babadook follow-up The Nightingale, will take the lead as a straight-laced cop who resolves to help his brother – found guilty of killing a man in a bar-room fight – by breaking him out of prison with his life-long friends and fellow Marine Corps reservists.
Cornerstone Films will commence sales in Cannes and co-represent the U.S. rights with CAA, which packaged and arranged financing for...
Claflin, recently seen in Me Before You and Their Finest and set to star in Babadook follow-up The Nightingale, will take the lead as a straight-laced cop who resolves to help his brother – found guilty of killing a man in a bar-room fight – by breaking him out of prison with his life-long friends and fellow Marine Corps reservists.
Cornerstone Films will commence sales in Cannes and co-represent the U.S. rights with CAA, which packaged and arranged financing for...
- 5/4/2017
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kayti Burt May 4, 2017
Sam Claflin is set to play a Marine sergeant with a plan to break his brother out of prison in the crime thriller Semper Fi...
Sam Claflin has been making a tidy little Hollywood career for himself over the last few years, starring in everything from Hunger Games: Catching Fire to Me Before You to Our Finest Hour. What's next for him? A crime thriller called Semper Fi.
See related Denis Villeneuve interview: Sicario, Kurosawa, sci-fi, ugly poetry Dune reboot: Denis Villeneuve confirmed to direct
According to Variety, Claflin will star in Semper Fi as a straight-laced Marine Corps sergeant who convinces his brother to own up to a bar brawl that ends with a man dead. After coming back from Iraq to find his brother's final court appeal rejected, he comes up with a plan to break his brother out of prison.
There's a lot going on in that premise,...
Sam Claflin is set to play a Marine sergeant with a plan to break his brother out of prison in the crime thriller Semper Fi...
Sam Claflin has been making a tidy little Hollywood career for himself over the last few years, starring in everything from Hunger Games: Catching Fire to Me Before You to Our Finest Hour. What's next for him? A crime thriller called Semper Fi.
See related Denis Villeneuve interview: Sicario, Kurosawa, sci-fi, ugly poetry Dune reboot: Denis Villeneuve confirmed to direct
According to Variety, Claflin will star in Semper Fi as a straight-laced Marine Corps sergeant who convinces his brother to own up to a bar brawl that ends with a man dead. After coming back from Iraq to find his brother's final court appeal rejected, he comes up with a plan to break his brother out of prison.
There's a lot going on in that premise,...
- 5/3/2017
- Den of Geek
Cornerstone Films to launch sales on crime thriller in Cannes.
Sam Claflin (Me Before You) will lead the cast of Henry-Alex Rubin’s crime thriller Semper Fi.
London-based sales agent Cornerstone Films has boarded the title and will launch sales at Cannes this month. Cornerstone Films co-representing Us rights with CAA, which packaged the film.
Henry-Alex Rubin is the Oscar-nominated director of 2005 sports documentary Murderball.
Semper Fi will be produced by Oscar-nominated Whiplash producer David Lancaster of Rumble Films, and Karina Miller (To The Bone) of Sparkhouse Media, which is also financing.
Claflin plays Hopper, a straight-laced cop and Marine Corps reservist. When his younger brother accidentally kills a man in a bar-room brawl and tries to flee town, Hopper stops him and forces him to face the music. Sean Mullin co-wrote the screenplay.
Wracked with guilt at leaving his brother locked up in jail, Hopper and his buddies are deployed to Iraq. Battle-weary, he returns...
Sam Claflin (Me Before You) will lead the cast of Henry-Alex Rubin’s crime thriller Semper Fi.
London-based sales agent Cornerstone Films has boarded the title and will launch sales at Cannes this month. Cornerstone Films co-representing Us rights with CAA, which packaged the film.
Henry-Alex Rubin is the Oscar-nominated director of 2005 sports documentary Murderball.
Semper Fi will be produced by Oscar-nominated Whiplash producer David Lancaster of Rumble Films, and Karina Miller (To The Bone) of Sparkhouse Media, which is also financing.
Claflin plays Hopper, a straight-laced cop and Marine Corps reservist. When his younger brother accidentally kills a man in a bar-room brawl and tries to flee town, Hopper stops him and forces him to face the music. Sean Mullin co-wrote the screenplay.
Wracked with guilt at leaving his brother locked up in jail, Hopper and his buddies are deployed to Iraq. Battle-weary, he returns...
- 5/3/2017
- ScreenDaily
Sam Claflin is set to star in the upcoming crime thriller Semper Fi, directed by Murderball's Henry-Alex Rubin. David Lancaster (Whiplash, Nightcrawler) of Rumble Films and Karina Miller (To The Bone) from Sparkhouse Media are producing, with Sparkhouse also financing. Cornerstone Films is handling international sales rights for the title, and co-repping U.S. rights with CAA, which packaged and financed the film. Project will be launched to buyers at the Cannes Film Festiv…...
- 5/3/2017
- Deadline
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50 fabulous documentary films, covering hard politics through to music, money and films that never were...
Thanks to streaming services such as Netflix, we’ve never had better access to documentaries. A whole new audience can discover that these real life stories are just as thrilling, entertaining, and incredible as the latest big-budget blockbuster. What’s more, they’re all true too. But with a new found glut of them comes the ever more impossible choice, what’s worth your time? Below is my pick of the 50 best modern feature length documentaries.
I’ve defined modern as being from 2000 onwards, which means some of the greatest documentaries ever made will not feature here. I’m looking at you Hoop Dreams.
50. McConkey (2013)
d. Rob Bruce, Scott Gaffney, Murray Wais, Steve Winter, David Zieff
Shane McConkey was an extreme skier and Base jumper who lived life on the edge, and very much to the full.
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50 fabulous documentary films, covering hard politics through to music, money and films that never were...
Thanks to streaming services such as Netflix, we’ve never had better access to documentaries. A whole new audience can discover that these real life stories are just as thrilling, entertaining, and incredible as the latest big-budget blockbuster. What’s more, they’re all true too. But with a new found glut of them comes the ever more impossible choice, what’s worth your time? Below is my pick of the 50 best modern feature length documentaries.
I’ve defined modern as being from 2000 onwards, which means some of the greatest documentaries ever made will not feature here. I’m looking at you Hoop Dreams.
50. McConkey (2013)
d. Rob Bruce, Scott Gaffney, Murray Wais, Steve Winter, David Zieff
Shane McConkey was an extreme skier and Base jumper who lived life on the edge, and very much to the full.
- 11/12/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Casting news from the Cannes Film Festival reveals that Katee Sackhoff from Battlestar Galactica will star in the new horror film, Don’t Knock Twice. Also in this round-up: home media release details on Alien Outpost, Dark Summer, Head Cases: Serial Killers in the Delaware Valley, and a fundraiser launch by Troma.
Don't Knock Twice: Press Release -- "It was revealed today in Cannes that Katee Sackhoff (“Oculus,” “Riddick,” “Battlestar Galactica”) will star in the supernatural horror film “Don’t Knock Twice,” directed by Caradog James and being sold in Cannes by Content Media.
In the vein of “Candyman” meets “The Ring,” “Don’t Knock Twice” is based on a psychologically terrifying urban legend. To save her estranged daughter, a guilt-ridden mother must uncover the terrifying truth behind the urban legend of a vengeful, demonic witch.
Caradog James (“The Machine,” “Little White Lies”) is directing “Don’t Knock Twice...
Don't Knock Twice: Press Release -- "It was revealed today in Cannes that Katee Sackhoff (“Oculus,” “Riddick,” “Battlestar Galactica”) will star in the supernatural horror film “Don’t Knock Twice,” directed by Caradog James and being sold in Cannes by Content Media.
In the vein of “Candyman” meets “The Ring,” “Don’t Knock Twice” is based on a psychologically terrifying urban legend. To save her estranged daughter, a guilt-ridden mother must uncover the terrifying truth behind the urban legend of a vengeful, demonic witch.
Caradog James (“The Machine,” “Little White Lies”) is directing “Don’t Knock Twice...
- 5/16/2015
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Rebecca Hall, Michael Shannon and Ben Foster will star in the mystery that Fortitude International is selling in Cannes.
Meredith Danluck will direct from her screenplay and Eddie Vaisman produces the drama, scheduled to start shooting in July.
State Like Sleep follows a woman who grapples with the consequences of her celebrity husband’s double life after he commits suicide.
ICM Partners represents Danluck, packaged the film and will represent Us rights.
Fortitude co-founder Nadine De Barros is introducing the project to buyers, supported by vice-president of international Katie Irwin and director of international sales and marketing Samantha Peel.
Fortitude’s Cannes slate includes Henry-Alex Rubin’s upcoming football biopic Robin Friday to star Sam Claflin; The Runner with Nicolas Cage that gets its market premiere screening here; Barton & Charlie, to be directed by and star Rupert Friend opposite Emily Blunt; and This Man, This Woman from Isabel Coixet starring Penelope Cruz and Diane Kruger.
Meredith Danluck will direct from her screenplay and Eddie Vaisman produces the drama, scheduled to start shooting in July.
State Like Sleep follows a woman who grapples with the consequences of her celebrity husband’s double life after he commits suicide.
ICM Partners represents Danluck, packaged the film and will represent Us rights.
Fortitude co-founder Nadine De Barros is introducing the project to buyers, supported by vice-president of international Katie Irwin and director of international sales and marketing Samantha Peel.
Fortitude’s Cannes slate includes Henry-Alex Rubin’s upcoming football biopic Robin Friday to star Sam Claflin; The Runner with Nicolas Cage that gets its market premiere screening here; Barton & Charlie, to be directed by and star Rupert Friend opposite Emily Blunt; and This Man, This Woman from Isabel Coixet starring Penelope Cruz and Diane Kruger.
- 5/13/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Sam Claflin has signed up to two new films, but the roles he's playing couldn't be more different.
One is a hard-smoking and volatile football player and the other is essentially Prince Charming.
Claflin will play Reading and Cardiff striker Robin Friday in the long-developing biopic of the footballer, according to Empire.
Friday died tragically young at the age of 38 after four years playing professional football - he was as known for his skills on the pitch as off of it for his hard drinking, smoking and womanising.
His other role is a return as Snow White's love interest William in The Hunstman - the sequel to Snow White and the Hunstman, .
Kristen Stewart won't be returning but Charlize Theron is coming back as Queen Ravenna, along with cast additions Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain.
Robin Friday will be directed by Murderball's Henry-Alex Rubin with production starting in the UK later this year.
One is a hard-smoking and volatile football player and the other is essentially Prince Charming.
Claflin will play Reading and Cardiff striker Robin Friday in the long-developing biopic of the footballer, according to Empire.
Friday died tragically young at the age of 38 after four years playing professional football - he was as known for his skills on the pitch as off of it for his hard drinking, smoking and womanising.
His other role is a return as Snow White's love interest William in The Hunstman - the sequel to Snow White and the Hunstman, .
Kristen Stewart won't be returning but Charlize Theron is coming back as Queen Ravenna, along with cast additions Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain.
Robin Friday will be directed by Murderball's Henry-Alex Rubin with production starting in the UK later this year.
- 5/9/2015
- Digital Spy
Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games franchise, The Riot Club, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) is set to star in the soccer legend biopic Robin Friday, to be directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Henry-Alex Rubin (Murderball, Disconnect), it was announced today by producers Mike Young, Julian Stone and Paolo Hewitt of Rf Movie Productions Ltd. Financing partners include Global Film Partners’ Daniel Koefoed and Guirec van Slingelandt, Telegael’s Paul Cummings and 9Magnan’s Meghana Gupta.
Fortitude International, co-founded by Nadine de Barros, Robert Ogden Barnum and Daniel Wagner, will handle foreign rights and will present the project to buyers at the Cannes Film Market. De Barros will be supported by her sales team including Katie Irwin, VP of International and Samantha Peel, Director of International Sales and Marketing.
CAA, which packaged and arranged financing for Robin Friday, will represent the film’s North American rights.
Based on the biography...
Fortitude International, co-founded by Nadine de Barros, Robert Ogden Barnum and Daniel Wagner, will handle foreign rights and will present the project to buyers at the Cannes Film Market. De Barros will be supported by her sales team including Katie Irwin, VP of International and Samantha Peel, Director of International Sales and Marketing.
CAA, which packaged and arranged financing for Robin Friday, will represent the film’s North American rights.
Based on the biography...
- 5/8/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Cannes: Nadine de Barros and her team will kick off talks on the Croisette on the upcoming Sam Claflin starrer about one of the great cult heroes of English football.
Murderball director Henry-Alex Rubin will helm Robin Friday, which North American rights holder CAA packaged and arranged financing.
Global Film Partners’ Daniel Koefoed and Guirec van Slingelandt, Telegael’s Paul Cummings and 9Magnan’s Meghana Gupta are among the financiers.
Robin Friday will chart the short-lived career of the hard-partying 1970s player whose on-field brilliance ensured lowly Reading got promoted to the Third Division in the 1975-76 season.
Friday was named “all-time cult hero” for Reading and Cardiff in a 2004 BBC poll and died of a heart attack in 1990 aged 38.
Paolo Hewitt and Julian Stone adapted the screenplay from Hewitt’s book The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story.
Production is set for this autumn in the UK. The project...
Murderball director Henry-Alex Rubin will helm Robin Friday, which North American rights holder CAA packaged and arranged financing.
Global Film Partners’ Daniel Koefoed and Guirec van Slingelandt, Telegael’s Paul Cummings and 9Magnan’s Meghana Gupta are among the financiers.
Robin Friday will chart the short-lived career of the hard-partying 1970s player whose on-field brilliance ensured lowly Reading got promoted to the Third Division in the 1975-76 season.
Friday was named “all-time cult hero” for Reading and Cardiff in a 2004 BBC poll and died of a heart attack in 1990 aged 38.
Paolo Hewitt and Julian Stone adapted the screenplay from Hewitt’s book The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story.
Production is set for this autumn in the UK. The project...
- 5/7/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Nadine de Barros and her team will kick off talks on the Croisette on the upcoming Sam Claflin starrer about one of the great cult heroes of English football.
Murderball director Henry-Alex Rubin will helm Robin Friday which North American rights holder CAA packaged and arranged financing..
Global Film Partners’ Daniel Koefoed and Guirec van Slingelandt, Telegael’s Paul Cummings and 9Magnan’s Meghana Gupta are among the financiers.
Robin Friday will chart the short-lived career of the hard-partying 1970s player whose on-field brilliance ensured lowly Reading got promoted to the Third Division in the 1975-76 season.
Friday was named “all-time cult hero” for Reading and Cardiff in a 2004 BBC poll and died of a heart attack in 1990 aged 38.
Paolo Hewitt and Julian Stone adapted the screenplay from Hewitt’s book The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story.
Production is set for this autumn in the UK. The project...
Murderball director Henry-Alex Rubin will helm Robin Friday which North American rights holder CAA packaged and arranged financing..
Global Film Partners’ Daniel Koefoed and Guirec van Slingelandt, Telegael’s Paul Cummings and 9Magnan’s Meghana Gupta are among the financiers.
Robin Friday will chart the short-lived career of the hard-partying 1970s player whose on-field brilliance ensured lowly Reading got promoted to the Third Division in the 1975-76 season.
Friday was named “all-time cult hero” for Reading and Cardiff in a 2004 BBC poll and died of a heart attack in 1990 aged 38.
Paolo Hewitt and Julian Stone adapted the screenplay from Hewitt’s book The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story.
Production is set for this autumn in the UK. The project...
- 5/7/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
With “The Hunger Games” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchises under his belt, Sam Claflin has set his sights on a new challenge — starring in “Robin Friday,” a biopic of the soccer legend. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Henry-Alex Rubin (“Murderball”) will direct from a script by Julian Stone and Paolo Hewitt of Rf Movie Productions. Stone and Hewitt will also produce with Mike Yiung. Financing partners include Global Film Partners’ Daniel Koefoed and Guirec van Slingelandt, Telegael’s Paul Cummings and 9Magnan’s Meghana Gupta. Scheduled for a fall shoot in the U.K., the feature film was developed with funding and support from Film.
- 5/7/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Jason Reitman has decided to follow Labor Day with a closer look at the modern Internet age and how it relates to the Voyager 1 space probe and a Korean couple that neglected their child to the point it died while they played a video game. Overprotective parents, clueless parents, teenage pregnancy, selfies, adultery and much, much more are all part of the equation in a world where the Internet has distracted us to the point of isolation. The film is bookended by voice over from Emma Thompson chattering away about this and that and to be honest I could hardly care about, let alone remember, a word she said and I felt very similarly about nearly every character in this over-stuffed movie. Reitman along with Erin Cressida Wilson (Chloe) have adapted the story from the book by Chad Kultgen, examining the lives of several teenage children and their parents and...
- 9/6/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The last time Paramount Pictures tried a Jason Reitman film on the awards season, it was last year's "Labor Day." I thought it was an impressive bit of stretching from the director and was happy to see a certain sect of critics find value in it. Alas, that was a minority view, as most took aim on the film and fired either at Telluride or Toronto and a misguided December release date finished it off after that. But everyone is back up to the plate this year with the Chad Kultgen adaptation "Men, Women & Children," and the first teaser trailer for the film has arrived to set the tone. Paced to a moody Plantains cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" (a ubiquitous track last year in everything from "Gloria" to "American Hustle"), the teaser establishes the film's melancholy world of disconnected people, faces in devices, emotionally detached from everything around them.
- 8/19/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
In this multi-stranded techno-thriller, New York lawyer Rich Body (Jason Bateman) hunts down two classmates of his loner son who causes a tragedy when they carry out a nasty cyberprank via Facebook. Elsewhere, Alexander's Skarsgard's former marine reacts to the loss of his child by attempting to discover who hijacked the identities of him and his wife. First-time feature director Henry Alex Rubin has crafted a flesh and blood drama that hums in the digital age.
- 11/4/2013
- Sky Movies
In this multi-stranded techno-thriller, New York lawyer Rich Body (Jason Bateman) hunts down two classmates of his loner who son who cause a tragedy when they carry out a nasty cyberprank via Facebook. Elsewhere, Alexander's Skarsgard's former marine reacts to the loss of his child by attempting to discover who hijacked the identities of him and his wife. First-time feature director Henry Alex Rubin has crafted a flesh and blood drama that hums in the digital age.
- 10/25/2013
- Sky Movies
Disconnect tells the story of a group of people looking to form actual, personal relationships, in today’s technology-focused world. One is a hard-working lawyer who can’t find the time to communicate with his family. Another couple gets sucked into a dangerous situation when their secrets are exposed online. An ex-cop struggles to raise a son who cyber-bullies a classmate. A journalist finds out about a teen performing on an adult site and sees a career-making story in it. The stories of these people collide, showing the impact that today’s wired world can have.
In honor of the film’s release on Blu-Ray, we’re excited to bring you an exclusive special features clip. It features Paula Patton, who plays Cindy Hull in the film, talking about what drew her to the project. We also get to hear director Henry Alex Rubin briefly discussing what made Patton perfect for the role.
In honor of the film’s release on Blu-Ray, we’re excited to bring you an exclusive special features clip. It features Paula Patton, who plays Cindy Hull in the film, talking about what drew her to the project. We also get to hear director Henry Alex Rubin briefly discussing what made Patton perfect for the role.
- 9/19/2013
- by Alexander Lowe
- We Got This Covered
In Disconnect, Jason Bateman was given the opportunity to do something he normally never gets asked to do: play a dramatic character. In this exclusive clip from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.s Blu-ray release of the film, Bateman explains why he was grateful for the role, while director Henry-Alex Rubin spends a little time explaining why he feels Bateman was the perfect choice for taking on a more dramatic character. In Disconnect, Bateman plays the father of a teen boy named Ben who has recently been cyberbullied after meeting a girl named Jessica online. Jessica convinces Ben to send a bawdy photo of himself and it is later circulated to all of the members in Ben.s class, leading Ben to harm himself. It is up to Batemen.s character, Rich, to get to the bottom of the cyberbullying mystery and to try to reconnect with his family. Rubin says that...
- 9/18/2013
- cinemablend.com
Moviefone's Top DVD of the Week
"The Bling Ring"
What's It About? Based on the real-life Bling Ring crew, Sofia Coppola's film tells the story of the Los Angeles teens whose claim to infamy was robbing the homes of celebrities. The teens who used the internet to track the whereabouts of rich celebs are portrayed by Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga, Israel Broussard, and Claire Julien.
Watch: Go behind-the-scenes with Taissa Farmiga (Video)
Why We're In: Coppola's approach to the tabloid-heavy story is one of the most compelling aspects of "The Bling Ring"," as she neither praises the characters, criticizes, or satirizes them. We get to watch the teens from an honest perspective and arrive at our own deduction of how technology and youth obsession with fame impact contemporary culture. "The Bling Ring" was also one of Moviefone's Best Movies of 2013 (So Far).
Rt & Follow to win #TheBlingRing...
"The Bling Ring"
What's It About? Based on the real-life Bling Ring crew, Sofia Coppola's film tells the story of the Los Angeles teens whose claim to infamy was robbing the homes of celebrities. The teens who used the internet to track the whereabouts of rich celebs are portrayed by Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga, Israel Broussard, and Claire Julien.
Watch: Go behind-the-scenes with Taissa Farmiga (Video)
Why We're In: Coppola's approach to the tabloid-heavy story is one of the most compelling aspects of "The Bling Ring"," as she neither praises the characters, criticizes, or satirizes them. We get to watch the teens from an honest perspective and arrive at our own deduction of how technology and youth obsession with fame impact contemporary culture. "The Bling Ring" was also one of Moviefone's Best Movies of 2013 (So Far).
Rt & Follow to win #TheBlingRing...
- 9/17/2013
- by Erin Whitney
- Moviefone
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
As a society, an overwhelming handful of us collectively are shamelessly conjoined to social networking or more specifically, the internet itself. We bury our zombified faces into a monitor – whether it’s for doing daily tasks (paying bills, connecting with long distance relatives) or using anonymity to antagonize others or steal information without so much as fixating a thought on the consequences.
We have progressed (or regressed) to an age where any person (even a child) can get a stripper without so much as leaving their room while aforementioned internet models make a steady financial living. Disconnect has one apparent purpose; to explore the darkest recesses of our digital age without blinking while simultaneously reminding you that every action, even one within cyber space, has repercussions.
A myriad of stories are set on a collision course with each other and Disconnect just perfects it. First we...
As a society, an overwhelming handful of us collectively are shamelessly conjoined to social networking or more specifically, the internet itself. We bury our zombified faces into a monitor – whether it’s for doing daily tasks (paying bills, connecting with long distance relatives) or using anonymity to antagonize others or steal information without so much as fixating a thought on the consequences.
We have progressed (or regressed) to an age where any person (even a child) can get a stripper without so much as leaving their room while aforementioned internet models make a steady financial living. Disconnect has one apparent purpose; to explore the darkest recesses of our digital age without blinking while simultaneously reminding you that every action, even one within cyber space, has repercussions.
A myriad of stories are set on a collision course with each other and Disconnect just perfects it. First we...
- 8/21/2013
- by Robert Kojder
- Obsessed with Film
Taking time to carefully pick out some artwork and have it tastefully prepared, Alexander Skarsgard spent the afternoon at M+B art gallery and a custom framing shop in West Hollywood on Monday (April 22).
The "True Blood" star was dressed down in a white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and a black baseball cap as he headed back to his Porsche.
Though the new season of the hit HBO series doesn't start until June, fans can currently catch the hunky 36-year-old actor in the thriller, "Disconnect," about a group of people searching for human connections in today's wired world.
Co-starring in the Henry Alex Rubin-directed film are Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, and Max Thieriot.
The "True Blood" star was dressed down in a white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and a black baseball cap as he headed back to his Porsche.
Though the new season of the hit HBO series doesn't start until June, fans can currently catch the hunky 36-year-old actor in the thriller, "Disconnect," about a group of people searching for human connections in today's wired world.
Co-starring in the Henry Alex Rubin-directed film are Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, and Max Thieriot.
- 4/23/2013
- GossipCenter
Henry Alex Rubin's "Disconnect" narrowly topped Terrence Malick's "To The Wonder" to lead this weekend's generally disappointing limited debuts. "Disconnect" stars Jason Bateman, Hope Davis and Paula Patton, and premiered at last year's Toronto International Film Festival. Distributor Ld Entertainment debuted it in 15 theaters this weekend, and saw a $123,597 gross for a $8,240 per-theater-average. Expectations were clearly a bit higher for "To The Wonder," which Magnolia released in 17 theaters just under 2 years after Malick's "The Tree of Life" debuted to a staggering $93,230 average in 4 theaters. No one expected "To The Wonder" to compete with that (anticipation is much more muted this time around), though its $130,000 gross was probably on the lower end of expectations. Averaging $7,647, it grossed about a third of what "Life" did in its first frame despite being in four times the theaters. That said, Magnolia did release the film day and date on VOD. "Wonder"...
- 4/14/2013
- by Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
Chicago – “Disconnect” is a punch in the gut, the backlash of our current technology, and a film that could have happened yesterday. It is a trenchant cautionary tale, warning us about the excesses of every blinking screen and “smart” device that supposedly is making our lives easier, but can just as easily become instruments of destructive. It is about how we live now.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Three intertwining stories about cyber-attacks and online consequences are passionately written and acted. Jason Bateman, for example, takes a break from his smarmy guy character to portray a distant father that learns a harsh lesson about that distance, and creates an empathy that displays surprising dramatic chops. When living within our cyber-selves, the theme of the film becomes about the “disconnect” that is created, in conflict with our real selves. It asks the questions about who we are when hidden behind the digital screens, and what...
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Three intertwining stories about cyber-attacks and online consequences are passionately written and acted. Jason Bateman, for example, takes a break from his smarmy guy character to portray a distant father that learns a harsh lesson about that distance, and creates an empathy that displays surprising dramatic chops. When living within our cyber-selves, the theme of the film becomes about the “disconnect” that is created, in conflict with our real selves. It asks the questions about who we are when hidden behind the digital screens, and what...
- 4/14/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
It’s a well-known irony of the Information Age that while the Internet has allowed for unprecedented communication on a global scale, its seductively anonymous nature has also fostered a breakdown of communication on an interpersonal scale. This is the underlying theme of Henry Alex Rubin’s not-so-subtly named Disconnect, a dramatic triptych of loosely connected stories that mostly avoids the pitfalls of an easy target with solid work from all involved....
- 4/13/2013
- Pastemagazine.com
Many writers say they prefer not to start the writing process with a theme in mind – they simply let it emerge organically from their plot or characters. But then, plenty of films have gone the other way. The multi-strand, interconnected drama revolving around a particular subject or theme, like Steven Soderbergh’s take on the war on drugs in “Traffic,” or Paul Thomas Anderson’s examination of coincidence and happenstance in “Magnolia,” have proved particularly popular in recent years. And given that they garlanded financial and critical success, it makes sense that others have set out to follow in their footsteps. The latest is “Disconnect,” which marks the fiction feature debut not only of screenwriter Andrew Stern, but also director Henry Alex Rubin, who won acclaim seven years ago for his Oscar-winning documentary “Murderball.” Telling the story of a group of interlinked people who all find their lives upended by the internet,...
- 4/12/2013
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
If you've heard anything about "Disconnect," the new feature by "Murderball" director Henry Alex Rubin, it's probably one of two things: it offers a cautionary look at our modern methods of communication (or lack thereof) and it features the first on-screen acting performance by fashion designer Marc Jacobs.
Turns out, however, that Jacobs wasn't Rubin's first choice to play Harvey, the skeevy proprietor of an online-sex-show emporium who recruits teenagers to strip on camera. The director had cast his friend Simon Hammerstein, grandson of Oscar and owner of The Box nightclub in Manhattan, but Hammerstein's wife balked after reading the script. With just two weeks left before shooting began, Rubin thought of Jacobs. "I'd made a seven-minute short film years ago where he'd made a cameo," Rubin said. "I remembered that he'd had good comic timing. And the truth is, if you have good comic timing, it usually means you have instincts,...
Turns out, however, that Jacobs wasn't Rubin's first choice to play Harvey, the skeevy proprietor of an online-sex-show emporium who recruits teenagers to strip on camera. The director had cast his friend Simon Hammerstein, grandson of Oscar and owner of The Box nightclub in Manhattan, but Hammerstein's wife balked after reading the script. With just two weeks left before shooting began, Rubin thought of Jacobs. "I'd made a seven-minute short film years ago where he'd made a cameo," Rubin said. "I remembered that he'd had good comic timing. And the truth is, if you have good comic timing, it usually means you have instincts,...
- 4/12/2013
- by Michael Hogan
- Huffington Post
Max Thieriot strips down as the misguided sex cam performer Kyle in Disconnect.
Taking the route of intersecting storylines, ensemble drama Disconnect explores the world of modern technology and how it connects us – or as the title suggests, how it disconnects us.
The movie is busting at the seams with hot actors including Max Thieriot, Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Andrea Riseborough, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander Skarsgard. There's a story about cyberbullying, a story about identity theft and, finally, a story about a sex cam performer who is befriended by a reporter for an exposé. Enter actor Max Thieriot (pronounced Terry-ot). He plays the aforementioned sex cam performer – but before you get excited at the potential eroticism, his portion of the movie is quite emotionally intense and heavy.Turns out the seedy underbelly of the sex cam world isn't such a turn on/
We had...
Taking the route of intersecting storylines, ensemble drama Disconnect explores the world of modern technology and how it connects us – or as the title suggests, how it disconnects us.
The movie is busting at the seams with hot actors including Max Thieriot, Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Andrea Riseborough, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander Skarsgard. There's a story about cyberbullying, a story about identity theft and, finally, a story about a sex cam performer who is befriended by a reporter for an exposé. Enter actor Max Thieriot (pronounced Terry-ot). He plays the aforementioned sex cam performer – but before you get excited at the potential eroticism, his portion of the movie is quite emotionally intense and heavy.Turns out the seedy underbelly of the sex cam world isn't such a turn on/
We had...
- 4/12/2013
- by Dino-Ray
- The Backlot
Title: Disconnect Directed By: Henry Alex Rubin Starring: Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgård, Max Thieriot, Colin Ford, Jonah Bobo, Haley Ramm, Aviad Bernstein With a handful of weighty storylines, “Disconnect” can be a lot to digest, but thanks to impeccable transitions, well-calculated story overlap, and a congealing tone, the film doesn’t feel like a sampling of stories, rather a look inside a well-developed world. “Disconnect” highlights three scenarios, all with connectivity at the core. Kyle (Max Thieriot) is an 18-year-old kid making money by performing on an adult-only website. When journalist Nina Dunham (Andrea Riseborough) stumbles upon his page, she sees [ Read More ]
The post Disconnect Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Disconnect Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/12/2013
- by Perri Nemiroff
- ShockYa
It's easy to scoff at the concept behind Disconnect. Oh yeah, we're becoming a bunch of online zombies. Cell phones are ruining the world. Our identities will be stolen on the Internet. Sex chat rooms, blah, blah, blah... I hear yah! In one ear, out the other. You're not telling me anything I don't already know... Now, where do I input my social security number and you're telling me you need my credit card number and security code to finalize this purchase? Well, here yah go! Yes, identities are stolen over the Internet. Yes, porn and sex cams exist. Yes, people are taken advantage of and school kids can be cruel. All of this is true... So why would a film about it make us roll our eyes? The reason I was a skeptic walking into Disconnect wasn't necessarily the subject matter, but the fact it looked like Crash with cellphones.
- 4/12/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
At a time when so many movies offer nothing but escape, it’s refreshing to encounter one that has something to say about modern society, and a great cast to bring it to life. Written by Andrew Stern and directed by documentary filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin (Murderball), Disconnect takes a sobering look at the wide-ranging impact that social media and interconnectivity is having on our everyday lives. That it manages to do so without ever becoming preachy is no small achievement. In one story thread, Jason Bateman and Hope Davis’s teenage son, a loner who seeks refuge in his bedroom composing music, falls victim to a cruel prank. Two fellow students are sending him provocative...
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- 4/12/2013
- by Leonard Maltin
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
Identity theft! Cyber bullying! Runaway teens doing lurid cam shows! This ambitious, multi-storied, state-of-us-all ensemble drama plumbs our fears of the plugged-in now more stridently than local news in TV sweeps. While well-crafted and at times moving, screenwriter Andrew Stern's cautionary tales can't help but feel behind the curve, the news they're so urgently sharing already fully absorbed by the culture. They still build some power, especially the central story of a misfit teen (Jonah Bobo) getting catfished by a couple of bullies—and then the inevitable shame of a 15-year-old's nude pix getting shared all over his high school. With tenderness and economy, Stern and director Henry-Alex Rubin humanize all parties, especially the bullies and the father of the poor, pranked k...
- 4/12/2013
- Village Voice
We unplug our phone from the charger, pop in our ear buds and go out to seize the day. We text compulsively, post on Facebook obsessively, and when it comes time to shop, date or hook-up, we log on, boot up and tune out.
That's the world we're living in and the dilemma skewered in "Disconnect," a "Crash"-style polemic told through a series of interwoven stories about teens, couples and families strained by the lack of communication in this Golden Age of Information.
It's a blunt instrument of a movie, and often melodramatic. But it sometimes moves and often hits its target square on the nose.
Paula Patton and Alexander Skarsgard play a broken couple, struggling with finances and grief. They lost a baby. She's seeking solace in online chat rooms, maybe more than solace.
Then, their identities are stolen and they tumble into the humiliation of full disclosure...
That's the world we're living in and the dilemma skewered in "Disconnect," a "Crash"-style polemic told through a series of interwoven stories about teens, couples and families strained by the lack of communication in this Golden Age of Information.
It's a blunt instrument of a movie, and often melodramatic. But it sometimes moves and often hits its target square on the nose.
Paula Patton and Alexander Skarsgard play a broken couple, struggling with finances and grief. They lost a baby. She's seeking solace in online chat rooms, maybe more than solace.
Then, their identities are stolen and they tumble into the humiliation of full disclosure...
- 4/11/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
The narrative feature debut of Murderball director Henry-Alex Rubin, Disconnect opens in a limited release this Friday and paints an eerie portrait of a modern world wherein the very technology designed to keep us in touch threatens to tear individual lives apart. Starring Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgard, Max Thieriot, Colin Ford, Jonah Bobo and Haley Ramm, Disconnect offers interweaving stories that all tie to the same theme: A hard-working lawyer, attached to his cell phone, can't find the time to communicate with his family. A couple is drawn into a dangerous situation when their secrets are exposed online. A widowed ex-cop struggles to raise a mischievous son who cyber-bullies a classmate....
- 4/11/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Los Angeles -- It's a given at multiplexes these days that despite switch-off-your-cell-phone announcements and the occasional grumbling protest, whatever's onscreen will have to compete with tiny pockets of light from audience members unable to stay off their handhelds. Watching those glow patches come and go during "Disconnect" reinforces the film's position on how desensitized we've become to these technological intrusions. Not that Henry-Alex Rubin's schematic multi-strand drama is at all shy about articulating its themes.
Directing his first narrative feature, documentary-maker Rubin ("Murderball") has assembled a solid cast and weaves together the three interconnected stories of Andrew Stern's original screenplay with elegance and efficiency. But this is a film that voices its warning about the hazards of a wired existence with solemn self-importance. It's also quite late in the day to be pointing out that we're so plugged into our devices we often fail to see or...
Directing his first narrative feature, documentary-maker Rubin ("Murderball") has assembled a solid cast and weaves together the three interconnected stories of Andrew Stern's original screenplay with elegance and efficiency. But this is a film that voices its warning about the hazards of a wired existence with solemn self-importance. It's also quite late in the day to be pointing out that we're so plugged into our devices we often fail to see or...
- 4/10/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
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