jay and mark duplass Tagged Articles at Cinematical

An epic tale of a famed warrior edged out the modern explorations of a Bavarian filmmaker. Sergei Bodrov's Mongol (Picturehouse) earned $21,400 per screen in its second week of release at five theaters, according to estimates compiled by Box Office Mojo. Does this prove that indie film lovers like their blockbuster-style movies, too? If nothing else, I think it shows that people like a wide variety of movies, no matter if they're heading to the arthouse or the multiplex.

Unlikely as it seems, Werner Herzog has made a G-rated film, suitable for the entire film. Encounters at the End of the World (ThinkFilm) moved Jeffrey M. Anderson to write: "Herzog's film is something closer to art; it has a direct line to its creator's soul. If you see a lot of documentaries and that tired, old PBS format with the talking heads, narrator and clips has started to wear thin, Herzog's open, honest film is as refreshing as an icy breeze." The film grossed $17,500 at one theater in Manhattan.

Opening at two theaters in Austin, rather than the tired old Manhattan and Hollywood, Baghead (Sony Pictures Classics) did very nicely, thank you, earning $4,450 per screen. Jette Kernion commented recently on the unusual release pattern. At Sundance, Eric D. Snider reviewed it ("a blast of fresh air"). James Rocchi interviewed filmmakers Jay and Mark Duplass. We even premiered the poster. All I'm saying is: Go Baghead!

One of the great things about film festivals is that, every now and again, you'll stumble upon a great little film made for next to no money; The Puffy Chair is just such a film. Directed by Jay Duplass and written by (and starring) his brother Mark, The Puffy Chair is a low-budget indie flick, but sharp dialogue, smart filmmaking and real characters make for a fun, quirky ride through the turmoil a road trip puts on an already shaky relationship. At the heart of the story are Josh, a 20-something musician who has given up playing with his band for the (relatively speaking) more stable life of a booking manager, and his long-time girlfriend, Emily (Kathryn Aselton). Josh (Mark Duplass) finds a purple recliner on the internet -- the puffy chair of the title -- that's just like the chair his dad had when he was a kid. He buys the chair through eBay, with the intent of taking a solitary road trip to pick the chair up and deliver it to his dad for his birthday.