oscilloscope Tagged Articles at Cinematical
AFI Fest Review: The Messenger
Filed under: Drama », Theatrical Reviews », Other Festivals », War »
Just when movies about the war in Iraq had exhausted audience interest, this summer's sleeper hit The Hurt Locker came along. And just when those same audiences thought there was only one movie about Iraq that could resonate with them, The Messenger comes along. Starring Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson and Samantha Morton, the film is not only a revelatory look at the war's logistical repercussions stateside, but an examination of the emotional toll not only battle but survival takes on soldiers, culminating in a poignant tale of redemption that counts as one of the very best films of the year.
Foster (3:10 To Yuma) plays Will Montgomery, a staff sergeant more or less waiting out his last days as a military officer after an extended tour of duty in Iraq. Although he initially (and understandably) reluctant to participate when he is enlisted to inform families of the deaths of their loved ones, he bonds with his superior officer, Tony Stone (Harrelson), and slowly emerges from his own emotional morass as a result of reaching out to these grieving families. But when he and Tony inform a mother named Olivia (Morton) of her husband's death, he becomes inextricably involved in her and her son's life, realizing that the tenuous relationships he previously participated in are no substitute for something more meaningful.
SXSW in 60 Seconds: Monday, March 16, 2009
Filed under: SXSW », Festival Reports », Cinematical Indie »
Glorious sunshine greeted festival attendees on Monday. The warmer weather pushed more people out onto the streets. Skirts rose along with the temperature, though blue jeans and t-shirts remained the predominant clothing of choice.
Deals. Oscilloscope Laboratories announced that it has acquired North American distribution rights to Gabriel Mendina's The Paranoids, which had its US Premiere at the festival yesterday. The Paranoids is described as an "offbeat comedy" about an aspiring writer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who learns that a childhood friend has produced a very successful TV show in Spain based on the writer's life. Personal chaos ensues. Oscilloscope plans a theatrical release later this year.
Secret (and Not So Secret) Screenings. A large crowd woke up early to see a "super special screening" of Richard Linklater's period romance Me and Orson Welles, starring Zac Efron and Claire Danes. In the evening, another special treat awaited folks who squeezed into the Alamo Ritz: a 16mm print of a film that dare not speak its name (due to legal reasons). Hint: running time was listed as 43 minutes. No wagering, please.
Simultaneously, Jody Hill's Observe and Report, starring Seth Rogen, enjoyed its world premiere at the Paramount Theater. Early word via Tweeter has been very strong. Gerald Peary's doc For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism, also debuted. It is, perhaps, too prosaic for a general audience, but it's essential viewing for anyone who wants to be a film critic (and for working film critics, too, for that matter). Bonus: our own Scott Weinberg makes an appearance!
Cinematical Coverage. Eric D. Snider, who never laughs at anything, laughed himself silly at the 20 minutes of footage shown from Sacha Baron Cohen's upcoming Bruno.
After the jump: more links to our coverage, plus some notable coverage on other sites.
Jeremy Renner Wants To Be An Avenger
Directors We Love: Jim Jarmusch
Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'
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Watch: Famous 'Matrix' Scene Re-Created with LEGOs
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