A stalled New York City subway carriage serves as a toe-tapping musical Petri dish for six socioeconomically diverse souls in the unique stage-to-screen musical adaptation “Stuck.” Sharing a stylistic template with its 2016 left-coast cousin “La La Land” (which it predated Off-Broadway by a good four years), the film’s 2017 copyright suggests a missed opportunity for momentum that could be made up by the positive word-of-mouth (generated by the film’s fest-circuit delay) for a modest achievement that benefits from a lot of heart and not being like anything else out there.
“I bring a measure of grace to the world,” says Shakespeare-spouting homeless philosopher Lloyd, a dishevelled yet dignified Greek chorus who sets the stage in song: “It’s a common notion that the universe will shove together people who uniquely offer what the other needs.”
With that, the train on which he seems to live grinds to a halt.
“I bring a measure of grace to the world,” says Shakespeare-spouting homeless philosopher Lloyd, a dishevelled yet dignified Greek chorus who sets the stage in song: “It’s a common notion that the universe will shove together people who uniquely offer what the other needs.”
With that, the train on which he seems to live grinds to a halt.
- 4/18/2019
- by Eddie Cockrell
- Variety Film + TV
Quick takes from the 25th Raindance Film Festival, with public screenings in London through October 1st, 2017.
Black Hollow Cage
Thirteen-year-old Alice (Lowena McDonell) lives alone with her father (Julian Nicholson) in a striking modernist house in the middle of the woods. She is getting used to her new bionic arm and believes that their dog is actually her dead mother, though Dad insists this is not the case. (What Dad actually believes about the voice synthesizer the dog wears around her neck, which appears to be speaking the dog’s thoughts [the voice of Lucy Tillett], is not something Alice ever asks him. Maybe in this apparently future world, people’s pets talk to them as a matter of course.) And then two very young strangers, siblings Erika (Haydée Lysander) and Paul (Marc Puiggener) — she is badly beaten up, and he is mute — appear out of nowhere and disrupt Alice’s existence. Oh, and there...
Black Hollow Cage
Thirteen-year-old Alice (Lowena McDonell) lives alone with her father (Julian Nicholson) in a striking modernist house in the middle of the woods. She is getting used to her new bionic arm and believes that their dog is actually her dead mother, though Dad insists this is not the case. (What Dad actually believes about the voice synthesizer the dog wears around her neck, which appears to be speaking the dog’s thoughts [the voice of Lucy Tillett], is not something Alice ever asks him. Maybe in this apparently future world, people’s pets talk to them as a matter of course.) And then two very young strangers, siblings Erika (Haydée Lysander) and Paul (Marc Puiggener) — she is badly beaten up, and he is mute — appear out of nowhere and disrupt Alice’s existence. Oh, and there...
- 9/28/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Nov. 4, 2014
Price: DVD $26.98, Blu-ray $29.98
Studio: Magnolia
There's no horsing around for Ed Harris in Frontera.
Ed Harris (The Way Back) and Eva Langoria (TV’s Desperate Housewives) star in the 2014 Western drama Frontera, which was directed and co-written by Michael Berry.
Set along the tumultuous Arizona-Mexico border, the film follows Miguel (Michael Peña, End of Watch), a hardworking father and devoted husband who crosses the border illegally and is wrongfully accused of murdering the wife of a former sheriff (Harris). Miguel’s pregnant wife (Longoria) lands in the hands of corrupt Mexican “Coyote” smugglers as she tries to help her husband, while the ex-lawman investigates his wife’s death and unearths evidence that could destroy one family’s future.
Following its online premiere in July, Frontera received a liimited release to theaters in September. Critics were generally underwhelmed, with the PG=13-rated movie garnering a 5.8/10 rating based on 24 published reviews.
Price: DVD $26.98, Blu-ray $29.98
Studio: Magnolia
There's no horsing around for Ed Harris in Frontera.
Ed Harris (The Way Back) and Eva Langoria (TV’s Desperate Housewives) star in the 2014 Western drama Frontera, which was directed and co-written by Michael Berry.
Set along the tumultuous Arizona-Mexico border, the film follows Miguel (Michael Peña, End of Watch), a hardworking father and devoted husband who crosses the border illegally and is wrongfully accused of murdering the wife of a former sheriff (Harris). Miguel’s pregnant wife (Longoria) lands in the hands of corrupt Mexican “Coyote” smugglers as she tries to help her husband, while the ex-lawman investigates his wife’s death and unearths evidence that could destroy one family’s future.
Following its online premiere in July, Frontera received a liimited release to theaters in September. Critics were generally underwhelmed, with the PG=13-rated movie garnering a 5.8/10 rating based on 24 published reviews.
- 10/3/2014
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
As the Toronto International Film Festival gets underway with North American and World debuts of films that will hit Awards Season and beyond,a good number of seasoned films that have traveled the festival circuit are finally making their way into the Specialty Box Office. Drafthouse Films will open Cannes ’13 title The Congress starring Robin Wright and Harvey Keitel in a dozen locations this weekend, while SXSW’s Juliette Lewis starrer Kelly & Cal will open exclusively in NYC. Sundance’s Last Days In Vietnam will have a theatrical run before heading to PBS next fall and the Guadalajara Film Festival’s Frontera is taking advantage of a timely topic in the U.S. Venice financed its 2013 premiere Memphis, opening exclusively this weekend in NYC. And China Lion hopes to take a successful template for romantic dramas and apply that to But Always.
The Congress
Director-writer: Ari Folman
Writer: Stanislaw Lem (novel)
Cast: Robin Wright,...
The Congress
Director-writer: Ari Folman
Writer: Stanislaw Lem (novel)
Cast: Robin Wright,...
- 9/5/2014
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline
From a quick look at their respective websites, it wouldn't seem obvious to bring together Kenneth Lampl and Darren Tate for a film soundtrack. The former is a Professor of Music at Hofstra University, while the latter is a DJ and also heads up the London based Mondo Records. And yet, despite the differences on paper, the spirit of collaboration united the pair for "Frontera," the upcoming western/drama starring Ed Harris and Michael Pena. Co-written and directed by Michael Berry, the film takes place on the border between Arizona and Mexico, when already fraught tensions rise when an illegal immigrant crossing into the United States is accused of murder. But as the investigation uncovers the truth of what really happened, the lives of everyone involved will be changed forever. In these exclusive tracks—"Acceptance" and "The Chase"—Lampl and Tate combine to create something both sweeping and stirring, with...
- 9/4/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Some movies seem to be put on this Earth just for actors. You look at the synopsis of a picture, and you think, "Well, it could be Ok," but then you notice who's in it — maybe a performer you like but haven't seen in a while, or someone you never liked at all, but the casting piques your curiosity — and you suddenly think it might be something you'd like to see. Michael Berry's debut feature, Frontera, is very much like a movie that might have been made 25 or 30 years ago, in the good way: A drama about an illegal Mexican immigrant (Michael Peña) who becomes a suspect in the death of the wife of a former Arizona sheriff (Ed Harris), it's actually about something greater than its mere mechanics. Chiefly, though, Frontera is a showcase for actors: H...
- 9/3/2014
- Village Voice
Giancarlo Esposito and Ashanti have joined the cast of the film adaptation of writer Riley Thomas' stage musical "Stuck," which centers on 6 New York strangers who find themselves stuck on a stalled subway train. Michael Berry, who directed the stage production of the show, will also direct the feature film, which co-stars Amy Madigan. Here's how the show was billed: "Moving on is never easy, as 6 strangers discover when trapped between stations on the subway. As tension builds, colorful characters clash as they recognize pieces of themselves emerging in one another. With book, music and lyrics by Riley Thomas, this poignant and tuneful...
- 8/8/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
With election season looming, the debate over immigration is only going to get more heated, nuance be damned. But the forthcoming drama "Frontera" looks to present a complex portrait of the U.S./Mexico border crisis through the prism of a police procedural. Directed by Michael Berry and starring Ed Harris, Michael Pena, Eva Longoria, Amy Madigan and Aden Young, the film's plot revolves around the murder of a former Arizona sheriff's wife. The suspect appears to be an illegal Mexican immigrant, but the ex-sheriff and his successor encounter more complications that anticipated as they try to solve the crime. This exclusive clip indicates hardship and horror on a long journey from Mexico to Arizona. "Frontera" is now available on VOD and opens in theaters on September 5th. Watch below.
- 8/6/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Giancarlo Esposito has joined the cast of NYC-set musical drama Stuck, about six strangers trapped on a stalled subway train. Filming is underway with a cast that includes Amy Madigan and singer-actress Ashanti. Esposito will play Lloyd, a mysterious homeless man who might offer more wisdom than expected. Stuck is adapted from the stage play by Riley Thomas, who co-scripted with director Michael Berry; the helmer is set to release his drama Frontera, also co-starring Madigan alongside Ed Harris, Eva Longoria, and Michael Peña, this month. Esposito starred on the recent NBC series Revolution and was just announced as joining […]...
- 7/30/2014
- Deadline
Frontera Trailer. Michael Berry‘s Frontera (2014) movie trailer stars Eva Longoria, Ed Harris, Michael Peña, Amy Madigan, and Kristen Rakes. Frontera‘s plot synopsis: “Frontera follows the events that take place after a former Arizona sheriff’s wife (Amy Madigan) is killed while riding on their ranch. It appears a [...]
Continue reading: Frontera (2014) Movie Trailer: Ed Harris Investigates His Wife’s Death...
Continue reading: Frontera (2014) Movie Trailer: Ed Harris Investigates His Wife’s Death...
- 6/12/2014
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Today we have the trailer for the upcoming "Frontera" drama, starring Ed Harris, Michael Pena and Eva Longoria. Check it out below. Plot: A former Arizona Sheriff's wife is killed while riding on their Ranch property. It would appear a Mexican man crossing in to the Us illegally is at fault. As former Sheriff and current Sheriff search for answers, lives are changed forever. The new movie is directed by Michael Berry, who is making his feature film helming debut. It will be released on VOD on July 31st and then in select theaters on September 5th. Trailer:...
- 6/11/2014
- WorstPreviews.com
In what seems to be a timely sort of drama, Frontera takes an interesting story of mistaken murder and mixes it up with the hot topic of immigration in the United States. As two Mexican men (including Michael Pena) are crossing the border illegally, an unseen shooter looking to take them out mistakenly kills the wife of an Arizona sheiff (Ed Harris). What follows is a passionate quest for answers as the immigrant is wrongfully accused of murder, leaving his wife (Eva Longoria) in turmoil. This sounds like a harrowing story, and certainly an original plot for a drama with Pena and Harris giving strong performances. Watch! Here's the first trailer for Michael Berry's Frontera from Magnolia Pictures: Frontera is directed by Michael Berry (Mira), who co-wrote the script with newcomer Louis Moulinet. After a former Arizona Sheriff's wife (Amy Madigan) is killed while riding on their Ranch property,...
- 6/10/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Watch the powerful new trailer for Frontera.
Set along the tumultuous Arizona-Mexico border, Frontera, starring Ed Harris, Eva Longoria, and Michael Pena, follows Miguel (Peña), a hardworking father and devoted husband who crosses the border illegally and is wrongfully accused of murdering the wife of a former sheriff (Harris). Miguel’s pregnant wife (Longoria) lands in the hands of corrupt Mexican “Coyote” smugglers as she tries to help her husband, while the ex-lawman investigates his wife’s death and unearths evidence that could destroy one family’s future.
Frontera examines both sides of the complex issues of immigration and human trafficking that deeply affects both the U.S. and Mexico. It shows that a border might divide two countries, but can’t divide humanity, for good or bad, we are all part of the problem and the solution.
Of his film, director and co-writer Michael Berry says:
Though the events...
Set along the tumultuous Arizona-Mexico border, Frontera, starring Ed Harris, Eva Longoria, and Michael Pena, follows Miguel (Peña), a hardworking father and devoted husband who crosses the border illegally and is wrongfully accused of murdering the wife of a former sheriff (Harris). Miguel’s pregnant wife (Longoria) lands in the hands of corrupt Mexican “Coyote” smugglers as she tries to help her husband, while the ex-lawman investigates his wife’s death and unearths evidence that could destroy one family’s future.
Frontera examines both sides of the complex issues of immigration and human trafficking that deeply affects both the U.S. and Mexico. It shows that a border might divide two countries, but can’t divide humanity, for good or bad, we are all part of the problem and the solution.
Of his film, director and co-writer Michael Berry says:
Though the events...
- 6/10/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
FX's acclaimed "The Bridge" already takes a look at those affected by the U.S.-Mexico border and now "Frontera," an upcoming drama film starring Ed Harris, Michael Peña and Eva Longoria, plans to do the same. The film, directed by newbie Michael Berry, stars Harris as a sheriff who resides on the tumultuous border between Arizona and Mexico. When his wife is mysteriously shot and killed, he teams up with a new sheriff (Australian actor Aden Young) to find the culprit. The trailer gives us a look at the tense climate that exists in the region. Peña, who was so great in "End of Watch" appears just as captivating here, while Longoria, although appearing in only a few moments, seems eager to shed her "Desperate Housewives" image. Magnolia Pictures will release "Frontera" on iTunes and On Demand July 31 and in theaters September 5. Check out the trailer for "Frontera" below:...
- 6/10/2014
- by Eric Eidelstein
- Indiewire
Here’s a first look at the brand new poster for Magnolia Pictures’ Frontera.
Set in the tumultuous Border area of Arizona and Mexico, Frontera follows the events that take place after a former Arizona Sheriff’s wife (Amy Madigan) is killed while riding on their Ranch property. It would appear a Mexican man (Michael Pena) crossing in to the Us illegally is at fault.
As former Sheriff (Ed Harris) and current Sheriff (Aden Young) search for answers, lives are changed forever and the facts as to who is really at fault in this tragedy are nearly as tenuous and complex as the issues and tensions between the people who live in this region on either side of the line.
Look out for the trailer premiere on Apple Trailers on Monday, June 9th.
Written by Michael Berry and Louis Moulinet and directed by Michael Berry, Magnolia Pictures will release Frontera...
Set in the tumultuous Border area of Arizona and Mexico, Frontera follows the events that take place after a former Arizona Sheriff’s wife (Amy Madigan) is killed while riding on their Ranch property. It would appear a Mexican man (Michael Pena) crossing in to the Us illegally is at fault.
As former Sheriff (Ed Harris) and current Sheriff (Aden Young) search for answers, lives are changed forever and the facts as to who is really at fault in this tragedy are nearly as tenuous and complex as the issues and tensions between the people who live in this region on either side of the line.
Look out for the trailer premiere on Apple Trailers on Monday, June 9th.
Written by Michael Berry and Louis Moulinet and directed by Michael Berry, Magnolia Pictures will release Frontera...
- 6/6/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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