Austin Film News Mega-Feed

‘Being Charlie’ a rehab story with little substance

American-Statesman Staff — Thu, 12 May 2016 17:33:09 +0000

In this May 2, 2016 photo, writer-director Rob Reiner poses for a portrait in New York. Reiner has always had an affinity for the father-son story and has explored the theme and his own life in films like “Stand By Me” and “A Few Good Men,” but none have come so close as “Being Charlie,” loosely based on his son Nick Reiner’s struggles with drugs. (Photo by Brian Ach/Invision/AP)

Stephen Holden – The New York Times

“Being Charlie” has a strong autobiographical component. According to the production notes, Nick Reiner (the director’s son) wrote the screenplay with Matt Elisofon, whom he met in rehab. Charlie, like Elisofon, is an aspiring stand-up comedian. And the brief scenes of Charlie on the stage reveal him to be a brash showoff with at least a modicum of talent.

Let’s assume that Rob Reiner made a movie peopled with disagreeable characters to transcend the feel-good clichés of the nostalgic family entertainments for which he’s known with a more realistic film about contemporary issues. But the movie’s refusal to abandon commercial formulas and examine its characters’ inner lives suggests that the director’s years inside the Hollywood bubble may have prevented him from recognizing the degree to which independent films and television are already overrun with deeper, more sensitive explorations of addiction and recovery.

» Read full review at MyStatesman.com » Find showtimes for “Being Charlie”

Susan Sarandon sparkles in ‘The Meddler,’ a valentine to mothers

American-Statesman Staff — Thu, 12 May 2016 17:29:21 +0000

This image released by Sony Pictures Classics shows J.K. Simmons, left, and Susan Sarandon in a scene from “The Meddler.” (Jaimie Trueblood/Sony Pictures Classics via AP)

Michael Phillips – Chicago Tribune

The smooth, cozy charm of writer-director Lorene Scafaria’s “The Meddler” offers considerable seriocomic satisfaction in its story of a mother and a daughter, the meddler and the meddled with, respectively. I don’t get the high-end praise for this medium entity. But as a performance vehicle it’s nice and spacious.

Susan Sarandon is Marnie Minervini, recently widowed New Jersey transplant, whose late husband left her with plenty of money to go with her generous and compulsive instincts. She has moved to Los Angeles to be near her TV writer daughter, Lori, a romantically thwarted workaholic played by Rose Byrne. Shrewdly, “The Meddler” refuses to gin up major-league conflict and resolution in its central relationship. The tensions come and go; they’re plausible and human-scaled.

» Read full review at MyStatesman.com » Find showtimes for “The Meddler”

‘Last Days in the Desert’ focuses on Jesus’ 40 days

American-Statesman Staff — Thu, 12 May 2016 17:24:50 +0000

Ewan McGregor in “Last Days in the Desert.” (Gilles Bruno Mingasson)

Katie Walsh – Tribune News Service

The work of Rodrigo Garcia delves into the spiritual aspects of human realities in everyday life, finding the mystical in the connections between people.

In his film “Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her,” this idea was explored in the loosely connected lives of different women. In the HBO series “In Treatment,” talk therapy serves as the venue for exploring life’s deepest questions.

But in his latest film, “Last Days in the Desert,” Garcia goes straight for the spiritual behemoth, Jesus, and finds the humanity in one of his holiest experiences.

» Read full review at MyStatesman.com » Find showtimes for “Last Days in the Desert”

Cannes Day 2: ‘Money Monster’ satisfies, and Clooney, Roberts ham it up

Charles Ealy — Thu, 12 May 2016 13:44:47 +0000

“Money Monster” premiered Thursday at the Cannes Film Festival to an approving press audience, helping set the stage for a good opening in the United States this month (the movie opens Friday in Austin).

It’s directed by Jodie Foster, and it has echoes of “Network,” where news is melded with entertainment, and whereas “Network” seemed like a satire of the future, Clooney noted Thursday that the future is now the present, and that “Money Monster” can be seen as a commentary on that.

The movie focuses on a crazy TV host of a financial show, Lee Gates, who dances and sashays as he kicks off his tips about where to invest your money. He has been very supportive of investing in Ibis Clear Capital, run by Walt Camby (Dominic West). But Ibis loses $800 million in one day, wiping out the savings of a working-class guy, Kyle (Jack O’Connell), who decides to seek revenge.

Posing as a delivery guy, he manages to infiltrate the TV show and storms on stage with a weapon, demanding answers about what really happened to Ibis stock. He takes Clooney’s Gates hostage, makes him put on an explosive vest, and is holding the trigger, threatening to blow up the show if he doesn’t get what he wants.

That’s a big problem, because Camby of Ibis is out of the country and can’t be contacted, or at least the company says. And it’s left to Gates’ TV producer, Patty Fenn (Julia Roberts) to figure out how to prevent a tragedy as the world watches the events play out on live TV.

At a press conference after the screening, it was noted that this is the 40-year anniversary of the screening of “Taxi Driver” in Cannes, the movie that Foster said really launched her career. Although the reception was mixed when it first played in Cannes, primarily because of the level of violence, it went on to win the festival’s highest honor, the Palme d’Or. And Foster said she had lots of love for Cannes, which she considers to be the festival for auteurs.

While Foster answered questions seriously, Clooney and Roberts, who are real-life close friends, joked around and seemed to be having a fabulous time. Clooney is a regular in Cannes, but Roberts said this was her first time at the festival and that she was thrilled to be here.

Throughout the session, various questioners tried to bring politics into the session, and it wasn’t such a stretch, since the presidential campaign has some elements of a reality TV show. Clooney acknowledged as much, and was pointedly asked about Donald Trump. That’s been a constant question, especially among foreign critics when they meet anyone from America. Clooney said he was confident that Trump would not be elected, because he didn’t think the country would respond favorably “to fear. That’s not who we are,” he said.

And then some critics wanted to know whether O’Connell’s character was a stand-in for Bernie Sanders voters. Foster handled that question, saying that she saw O’Connell’s character as being more representative of the economically disenfranchised and frustrated Trump voter.

Whatever the case, the movie is quite funny and shouldn’t be taken completely seriously. It has lots of funny lines, and lots of points of laughter, primarily because Clooney excels at playing characters think they’re smart but are actually the dumbest guy in the room. Clooney says he has practice doing such roles, mainly because of his long association with the Coen brothers.

The screening on Thursday capped a controversial first few days of Cannes, which has installed heightened security all around the Palais, with long lines for both press and general audiences. Many roads around the area have been completely blocked off, presumably to guard against car bombings, and the Croisette is completely jammed with people.

On Wednesday night, at the premiere of “Cafe Society,” even more controversy erupted when an emcee made a joke about why director Woody Allen and rape. Allen reportedly addressed the controversy at a luncheon Thursday, saying that he never would try to censor any comedian from making a joke, even if it was at his own expense. He said he was more annoyed that the ceremony leading up to the screening lasted so long.

George Clooney and Jake O’Connell in “Money Monster,”

Cannes Day 1: The swag and the bag

Charles Ealy — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:04:35 +0000

The swag of Cannes, day one.

The official Cannes Film Festival bag is filled with all sorts of info, and it’s usually bright and shiny and zippable. Not this year. It looks like a small blue laundry bag, seen at the left of the photo above.

There’s been much talk about security at this year’s festival, and earlier this month, the Cannes folks even staged a mock terrorist attack on the red carpet, to see if they were prepared for such an event. They say they are. But I wonder if the open bag might have something to do with security concerns. I’m sure I’ll spill a lot of stuff on the floor with this kind of bag. Oh well.

The bag has all sorts of program notes and other info about navigating the festival.

The official program, which is big and orange and yellow, includes descriptions of all the films in the official selection. And early word has it that at least two U.S. movies are getting good buzz: Jeff Nichols’ “Loving” and Jim Jarmusch’s “Paterson.”

Another indication of quality comes from Sony Pictures Classics, which picked up U.S. distribution rights today for Paul Verhoeven’s “Elle,” starring Isabelle Huppert. The official program has this description of the film: “Michele seems indestructible. Head of a leading video game company, she brings the same ruthless attitude to her love life as to business. Being attacked in her home by an unknown assailant changes Michele’s life forever. When she resolutely tracks the man down, they are both drawn into a curious and thrilling game — a game that may, at any moment, spiral out of control.”

“Elle” won’t screen for the press until late in the festival, but Sony Pictures Classics, co-founded by University of Texas graduate Michael Barker, got an early look, and they’re giving it a thumbs up, for sure.

Only one other movie plays in the big theaters tonight: “Sieranevada,” by Romania’s Cristi Puig. It’s quite timely, given the security concerns at this year’s fest. Here’s the description: “Three days after the terrorist attack on the offices of Parisian weekly Charlie Hebdo and forty days after the death of his father, Lary, a doctor in his forties is about to spend the Saturday at a family gathering to commemorate the deceased. But the occasion does not go according to expectations. Forced to confront his fears and his past, to rethink the place he holds within the family, Lary finds himself constraint (sic) to tell his version of the truth.”

This, of course, sounds nothing like what I was expecting. Sierra Nevada? The mountain range in the West? Don’t think so.

Cannes Day 1: ‘Cafe Society’ is okay, but not great

Charles Ealy — Wed, 11 May 2016 12:33:02 +0000

Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg in one of the L.A. scenes of “Cafe Society.”

Woody Allen’s “Cafe Society” opened the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, but it wasn’t as good as hoped, just like last year’s “Irrational Man.”

The film takes place in the 1930s, in both New York and Los Angeles, harking back to the days of big studio domination of Hollywood.

Jesse Eisenberg stars as the Woody Allen stand-in, Bobby, who is tired of working in his father’s jewelry store and longs to make it big in Hollywood. So he sets off, with the hopes of getting a job for his super-agent uncle, Phil (Steve Carell), who at first doesn’t seem too eager to do much for him.

Phil is always on the phone, and he keeps Bobby waiting for “an audience” with him for weeks, despite the hounding of Bobby’s mother via phone from New York. She’s the Jewish mother, of course, and has all sorts of funny lines: “Live every day like it’s your last, and some day you’ll be right”; and then when talking about her wayward older son, she says, “First a murderer, then a Christian. What have I done to deserve this?”

But that’s typical Allen shtick. The heart of the story lies in romance. This time, it begins when Bobby finally lands a menial job at his uncle’s agency and is shown around town by his uncle’s secretary, Vonnie (Kristen Stewart). Bobby is immediately smitten, but Vonnie says she has a boyfriend, and that she’s flattered by the attention, but the relationship can’t go anywhere.

As you might expect in an Allen movie, the 20-something Vonnie is involved with a much older married man. But Bobby holds out hope, while Vonnie holds out hope that the older lover will divorce his wife.

Bobby eventually finds out the identity of the older man, and it’s a big problem for reasons that would be spoilers to explain. So he heads back to New York to work at his gangster brother’s night club. And there he meets another woman, also named Veronica or Vonnie (Blake Lively), and gets married and starts a family.

But the flame for the first Vonnie lives on.

The cinematography in Los Angeles is gorgeous, capturing the heyday of Hollywood. And it was shot digitally by the legendary Vittorio Storaro.

But there’s something lacking in “Cafe Society.” The romance between Eisenberg and Stewart is believable, but the romance between Stewart and her older lover isn’t. And there’s all sorts of Allen-esque commentary on the shallowness of L.A. — something he’s rather famous for.

Parker Posey, who’s becoming an Allen regular, has an amusing supporting role as a woman who moves in both New York and Los Angeles societies. And Corey Stoll has another good supporting role as Bobby’s gangster brother, Ben.

At a press conference afterward, Allen acknowledged that “years ago, I would have played the part that Jesse is playing. But I would have played it narrower, because I’m a comedian. He’s an actor.”

He also said that he’s a romantic at heart, and that “Cafe Society” was essentially a romance, unlike some of his darker movies, such as “Match Point.” But since this is Woody Allen, the romance and comedy are tinged with inevitable sadness because he says his comic perspective takes into account an “existence that is fraught with cruelty” and other disappointments.

That’s also true of Allen’s movies. This one, regrettably, is a disappointment. It’ll do okay box-office business among the Allen faithful, but not much more.

“Outsider” is here: Austin filmmaker Zack Carlson launches new documentary series at Vice

Joe Gross — Tue, 10 May 2016 20:23:28 +0000

In 2009, when Zack Carlson was working as a programmer for the Alamo Drafthouse, he bid $50 for a 35mm print of a 1987 action movie called “Miami Connection,” a film he knew nothing about.

The rest is Drafthouse history. Carlson, the co-author of the still-amazing book “Destroy All Movies!,”screened the deeply weird cocaine-ninja-crime-sort-of-musical, it became a cult smash and Drafthouse Films eventually re-released the thing in 2012.

Now, Carlson is telling the story of “Miami Connection” in the inaugural episode of the new Vice documentary series, “Outsider,” which profiles the various creatives behind some of the world’s weirdest movies. Carlson serves as host and co-producer.

Check out the first episode here.

And take a look at the almighty “Miami Connection” here.

Rossellini '77: Outrage at Cannes

noreply@blogger.com (Lars Nilsen) — Tue, 10 May 2016 17:58:00 +0000

The 69th Cannes International Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, and Austinite Jeff Nichols’ LOVING will appear in competition, alongside other global greats like Asghar Farhadi, the Dardenne brothers, Pedro Almodovar and Andrea Arnold.

But LOVING isn’t the only thing that Austin and Cannes have in common this week, the other is Roberto Rossellini, who is highlighted in Austin Film Society’s retrospective through the end of May.

Rossellini had an interesting relationship with Cannes. His ROME, OPEN CITY was one of the prize-winning films in 1946 at the festival, but this was before a single film was selected for the Palme D’Or. He presented several other films at the festival to varying response, since his films tended to be out of fashion with their time, they were frequently overlooked in favor of hotter titles.

His episodic, observational docu-fiction, INDIA, MATRI BHUMI, which was later professed as a masterpiece by Godard and others, was presented out of competition the same year that THE 400 BLOWS and BLACK ORPHEUS swept the festival. At that time, Rossellini and even neo-realism seemed a bit passé.

But in 1977, Rossellini was responsible for one of Cannes biggest artistic scandals, which resulted in a major turning point for the festival. At this point in his career, Rossellini had turned all of his attention to television, and was viewed as a TV director. Yet his impact on global cinema was recognized and appreciated, particularly in France, where one of his TV dramas, THE RISE OF LOUIS XIV, had been released in cinemas and well received critically. He was invited to be President of the Jury of the 1977 festival.

Rossellini led his fellow jurors (including Pauline Kael, Jacques Demy, Carlos Fuentes and Yuri Ozerov, among others) to a Palme D’Or pick that would scandalize the festival. The Palme D’Or had previously been considered a prize for a film that had wide global appeal in commercial cinemas. Several French, Italian and American films were favored to win. Instead, Rossellini and team selected the Taviani brothers PADRE PADRONE, a film that was produced for television. It was the first time in the festival’s history that a TV film was selected for the Palme D’Or, during a time when TV films often had lower budgets and more artistic freedom than commercial films for cinema, which was certainly the case with PADRE PADRONE.

But the real unbelievable detail here is that the festival actually spoke out against the jury’s decision, declaring that this film, presented in competition would not have been the festival’s pick, and they did not support the jury’s decision.

Imagine this happening at the festival today—where all films in competition are supposed to be given equal consideration, without interference from the festival administration. In 1977, the festival had yet to aspire to this level of tact!

A few weeks after the festival, one of the organizers phoned Rossellini to let him know that the festival had come around on their outrage, and decided that they supported the change that he had brought to the institution via the Rossellini-led TV revolution. Rossellini was supposedly invited back to jury the festival in 1978, but Rossellini passed away a month after the Cannes scandal, in June, 1977. - Holly Herrick

Watch This: Two Time Oscar Winner & British MP Glenda Jackson Raises Hell in Parliament

noreply@blogger.com (Lars Nilsen) — Mon, 09 May 2016 16:26:00 +0000

Glenda Jackson, born 80 years ago today, had an enviable acting career both on stage and screen. As a member of the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company, where she and her cohorts helped to bring about a widespread, modern reappraisal of the Bard's work and later as a film actress, where she brought a new kind of screen presence to the fore. Her breakthrough screen role was in Ken Russell's adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's WOMEN IN LOVE (1969) and she won nearly every award in the book: Academy Award, National Board of Review, National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle, etc.

She followed this triumph with other major performances in films like SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY (1970), MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS (1971), A TOUCH OF CLASS (1973), for which she won her second Academy Award, and many more, through the '80s and into the '90s.

Her acting legacy could be called, with some understatement, secure. Which is why it is so admirable that she retired altogether from acting in pursuit of a new career, that of a Labour MP. In Parliament, she used her magnificent voice and bearing to advocate for progressive causes, often excoriating her opponents for cutting education and other services, and maintaining a staunch antiwar stance. She retired in 2015 after 23 years of service in Parliament.

Here she is in 2013, during Parliaments remarks about the departed Baroness Margaret Thatcher. On a day when the room was filled with sober tribute and remembrance, Jackson made sure that the spirit of anti-Thatcherism was heard loud and clear. By the time her argument reaches its climax, the dissents in the chamber are loud and raucous. It's really something, especially when Jackson refutes the argument of one who has come to pay tribute to her political enemy Thatcher for being the first woman prime minister. Jackson's response is personal, brilliantly phrased and acidic.

Another day, another silly Internet falsehood

Charles Ealy — Fri, 06 May 2016 20:24:26 +0000

Oh dear, another day, another trending Internet falsehood. Here’s the latest, and it has to do with a movie called “100 Years — The Movie You Will Never See,” which is a joint project of John Malkovich and Robert Rodriguez.

Back in November, a cognac company that ages its spirits for 100 years said that the two movie celebrities had made a film that was being put in a vault and would not be seen for 100 years. That original story had all sorts of reasons for raising an eyebrow. For instance, just exactly what kind of technology do they think will be available in 100 years?

And today, folks started saying that the Cannes Film Festival would be “showcasing” or “displaying” the movie. Um, no.

If you care to look, you’ll find that it’s not screening in any way, with any connection with the official festival. The competition and official selection can be found here.

The screenings for Critics Week can be found here. The screenings for Directors’ Fortnight can be found here.

The reason for skepticism: Do you see in any of these reports who’s actually making the statement?

As anyone who has ever been to the Cannes Film Festival knows, there’s a concurrent Market, where anything can screen, and where all sorts of promotional events happen, usually with a corporate sponsor. That’s probably what this is. But in no way is the Cannes Film Festival screening or showcasing this movie. A company is probably screening some footage as part of a marketing event. Sigh.

Suzanne Cordeiro / For American-Statesman
Texas Film Awards Honoree Robert Rodriguez walks the red carpet held at Austin Studios on March 12, 2015 in Austin, Texas.

Amazing But True: Orson Welles and The Mercury Wonder Show

noreply@blogger.com (Lars Nilsen) — Fri, 06 May 2016 20:20:00 +0000

Orson Welles produces Rita Hayworth from a steamer trunk, 1943

In 1943 world famous actor and filmmaker Orson Welles (who was born on this date in 1915) was eager to do something special for the war effort. Though he was a poor physical candidate for service - he rated a 4F - he could do quite a lot in terms of raising money and troop morale. So Welles wrote up a proposal for a circus-like revue that could travel around the country raising funds for the war effort and providing first class entertainment for returning or furloughed service members, who could attend at no cost. For civilians, tickets started at $1.65.

Welles himself was the master of ceremonies and, as The Magnificent Orson, its magician headliner. Welles' wife, the glamorous Rita Hayworth, also performed a variety of headline acts. Comic relief was provided by Jo-Jo The Great (whom we now know as Joseph Cotten). Other collaborators were the great French star Jean Gabin, who put his great shoulders to work moving scenery, and actor Keye Luke, who was tasked with the creation of culturally respectful Asian scenery and props. Later, after her boss at Columbia forced Hayworth to drop out of the show, Welles was forced to fall back on Hayworth's understudy, Marlene Dietrich (!).

Here's the entire advertised bill of fare for a performance of The Mercury Wonder Show:

The Mercury Wonder Show

For Service Men

Program

ORSON THE MAGNIFICENT

Defies the laws of science in feats of legerdemain never before presented in America. The occult secrets of antiquity and the present day reproduced for your delight and fascination in: Born In Flames, A Rabbit From a Headpiece, Le Chapeau en Pair, The Devil’s Orchard, Horticulture From Hell, The Strange Aquarium, Birds From The Blue, The Fourth Dimension, Audubon’s Dream, The Hindu Mango Mystery (as advertised), Fruit Under a Spell, and THE HAUNTED AVIARY with Invisible Pigeons and Transparent Doves.

THE MIRACULOUS CHICKEN FARM

Twenty-five (25) Living Hens Manufactured as You Watch , Without The Aid of a Single Egg. DE- and RE-CAPITATION: A Strange Feat of the Barnyard as Never Before Presented in the Western Hemisphere: Ballet of the Roosters: Chanticleer Takes It on the Lam: The Hens’ Delight.

Dr. Welles presents his

Original Experiments in Animal Magnetism

(All Nature Freezes at His Glance)

Psychic Readings

The Magic Crystal

Due to the unbelievable strain on the practitioner of this incredible feat the management must reserve the right to change this portion of the program without notice.

Secrets of the Sphinx

THE ANCIENT LORE OF THE DARK CONTINENT ASSEMBLED FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER CANVAS

CHAINED IN SPACE

WITCHES FARMYARD

An Incredible Assortment of Sortilege Not To Be Duplicated in the Most Famous Repertoires in the History of Thaumaturgy, presenting: Bovine Obedience; At the Shooting Gallery (including “Marksmanship’s Reward); Evaporation in the Mystic Diary; The Dalai’s Milk Pail (Direct From Tibetan Lamaseries); The Flight of the Hare; Fowl Elusive; La Rapiere du Diable; A Voice From the Dead; Faster Than Light; THE WORLD FAMOUS “BALSAMO’S SECRET,” and the CASKET OF COUNT CAGLIOSTRO.

PEKIN NIGHTS

An Interlude from Old Cathay

The Manchu Marvel; The cages of Han Lun; Enchanted Porcelain; Rain-making "Orientale"; Drought by Witchcraft (including Feats of Dexterity - a Dazzling Display); Hungkwel's Downfall; The Fan of Fu Ling.

THE CHEF'S SURPRISE

A Fantasy in Smoke; Shampoo Sorcery; The Indestructible Playing Card (Culled from the Secret Archives of Jared Higgenbottom); Humpty Dumpty Restored; Battledore.

$ TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS CHALLENGED! $

(Performed Under Rigid Test Conditions)

IMPROVISATIONS

THE GOOSE, THE GUINEA PIG AND THE LADY

THE GIRL WITH X-RAY EYES

An Extraordinary Demonstration by Miss Rita Hayworth of Strange Powers Recognized, but Unexplained by Science. Featuring Thought Transmission and Projection, Extra-Sensory Perception, Lightning Calculation, and Second Sight.

THE GREAT JOSEPH

The Wizard of the South Presents Split Second Escapology. The redoubtable J. Cotten Risks His Life at Every Performance.

THE DEATH OF THE SILKEN GORDS

FIRST TIME IN THE WEST

MILLION $ MYSTERY

Miss Hayworth and Mr. Cotten Make You Doubt Your Senses is a Bewildering Display.

INTERMISSION AND CONCERT

SCENES FROM A HINDOO MARKETPLACE

THE FAKIRS OF INDIA OUTDONE

THE WORLD'S FASTEST CANARY

(Three Surprises and a Miracle)

DEATH CASKET

THE FLIGHT OF TIME

PAINLESS SURGERY

Doctor-Sorcerer and His Apprentices Defy Laws of Dissection

THE HUMAN SEWING MACHINE

MUST BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED

PRINCESS NEPHROTITE

The Queen of Egypt Brought Back From the Dead. Her Materialization, Levitation, Evanishment and Lightning Reappearances.

GRAND FINALE

VOODOO!

A re-enactment of Mr. Cotten's Interesting Experiences Among the Witchdoctors in Dark Africa

“Captain America: Civil War” stuns as latest blockbuster marvel

Charles Liu — Fri, 06 May 2016 06:16:17 +0000

“Captain America: Civil War” is what “Batman v Superman” should have been. Thoughtful. Deep. Witty. Fun. It’s a bold political thriller that asks questions about superhero accountability, and it packs a startlingly personal punch.

Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) clash not because of some misunderstanding that can be resolved by simple conversation (you reading this, Batman?), but because of irreconcilable ideological differences. They aren’t just comic book characters anymore — they’re flesh-and-blood human beings who fight for what they believe.

Both are, in a sense, “right.” Their conflict revolves around the United Nations’ effort to take control of the Avengers. Rogers doesn’t think giving into the UN’s demands is a good idea — nations are governed by agendas, and he thinks the Avengers should not be bent to the will of politicians. Stark sees it differently: the Avengers’ actions have contributed to widespread damage around the world, and they need to be regulated by outside forces before they harm anyone else.

When the mysterious Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) frames Rogers’ old friend Bucky/the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) for attacking the UN, Rogers goes outside the law to help Bucky take down Zemo — and Stark pursues them.

Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. deliver compelling performances that convey the multi-faceted nature of the conflict between their characters, which is driven by the ghosts of their pasts and visions for a better future. They sell the heroes’ antagonism without letting us forget they are supposed to be brothers in arms. For all its joyful moments of superhero brawling, “Civil War” is a tragedy about the dissolution of a friendship. Of the two leading men, Downey Jr. impresses more, offering the best work of his entire Iron Man run.

Another standout is Chadwick Boseman as African superhero Black Panther, who joins Iron Man to avenge his father’s death at the UN attack. It’s thrilling to bask in Panther’s enormous strength as he battles against Captain America and the Winter Soldier. The other scene-stealer is Tom Holland as Spider-Man, who trumps Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield with his youthful earnestness and brash wit. While Spider-Man serves little narrative purpose other than to quip and dazzle during the film’s destined-to-be-iconic airport showdown, he lights up the picture with his presence.

“Civil War” is brimming with many more characters, such as Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johannsson). But in spite of its large cast, this Marvel entry is very focused. The Russo brothers prove a fine pair of directors, developing almost every character on the roster without ever making the narrative feel over encumbered. We learn about the heroes’ motivations and what makes them choose the side they’re on. Even Zemo is sympathetic — it’s hard to call him a villain when you learn why he’s out to destroy the Avengers.

The Russos wisely tie every character’s arc into “Civil War’s” questions about accountability. The film heavily explores the debate between Rogers and Stark, but doesn’t end with any definitive conclusion as to whose beliefs are better. The Russos develop the movie’s ideas so they address real-world problems, such as the War on Terror and American foreign policy. It asks us to consider the cost of violence and to think about what heroism truly is.

“Civil War” spends so much time building up its human element that its spectacle becomes all the more involving. There are many sequences of intense, cleverly-staged action filled with money shots, memorable dialogue and wonderful character moments. Don’t let anyone spoil how they play out for you — the surprises are worth the wait.

The Marvel Universe has given us alien warlords, megalomaniacal robots and apocalyptic threats, but the smaller-scale “Civil War” has told the most engaging tale of the series. The Russos understand that it’s not the size of the story’s conflict that matters, it’s how much that conflict matters to its characters.

“Captain America: Civil War”
Running Time: 147 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Score: 5/5 stars

Kidman and Bateman face childhood scars in ‘The Family Fang’

American-Statesman Staff — Thu, 05 May 2016 18:37:45 +0000

This image released by Starz Digital shows Nicole Kidman, left, Jason Bateman in a scene from “The Family Fang.” (Starz Digital via AP)

Manohla Dargis – New York Times

The drama of the gifted child is, at least in movies, a gift that keeps on giving. That’s particularly true in American independent cinema, with its stories of suffering children, monstrous mothers and abusive fathers.

There are moments when it feels as if the movie you’re watching was written on a laptop propped up by a Syd Field screenwriting book and “The Drama of the Gifted Child,” Alice Miller’s 1979 book about children and parental narcissism. Act 1: Set up the wound. Act 2: Confront the wound. Act 3: Resolve the wound.

» Read full review at MyStatesman.com » Find showtimes for “The Family Fang”

Portrait of Indian math genius adds up

American-Statesman Staff — Thu, 05 May 2016 18:35:32 +0000

Dev Patel stars in “The Man Who Knew Infinity.” IFC Films

Walter Addiego – San Francisco Chronicle

The brief life of Indian math prodigy Srinivasa Ramanujan was so compelling that it even transcends the capable but straightforward filmmaking of “The Man Who Knew Infinity.”

It’s the terrific story — which has also inspired a novel and a play — of a young man from Madras who lacked university training but whose brilliance earned him an invitation to study with an esteemed professor at Cambridge.

» Read full review at MyStatesman.com » Find showtimes for “The Man Who Knew Infinity”

Four things you might not know about Cannes 2016

Charles Ealy — Thu, 05 May 2016 18:33:56 +0000

We’ll have a preview of what’s happening at the Cannes Film Festival in our Sunday editions. But here’s some extra stuff to whet your appetite.

Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart in Woody Allen’s “Cafe Society.” (Amazon Studios)

1. Kristen Stewart is far more highly regarded as an actress in Europe than she is in the United States. Part of the U.S. reaction to her abilities probably has something to do with her being the star of the “Twlight” movies, which aren’t exactly art-house fare. But since she rose to fame in the “Twilight” films, she has been making interesting – and smart – choices with her career. She’s carefully picking her roles and making sure that she’s working with a well-regarded director. This year in Cannes she’ll be starring in two movies that are part of the official selection: Woody Allen’s opening-night film, “Café Society,” and French director Olivier Assayas’ “Personal Shopper,” the latter of which is in competition for the Palme d’Or. Interestingly, Stewart starred in Assayas’ last movie, “Clouds of Sils Maria,” which played in the Cannes competition, and Stewart went on to win the French Cesar Award for best supporting actress for her role as Juliette Binoche’s personal assistant. She was also in Walter Salles’ “On the Road,” which screened in the 2012 Cannes competition. And she’s set to star in Ang Lee’s “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” which is based on the novel by Dallas author Ben Fountain and is scheduled to be released this winter. “Walk” is already getting raves from early screenings for its technological achievements, fyi, and is expected to be a player during this year’s awards season.

2. When someone writes or tells you that a movie played in Cannes, you need to know that such a phrase means little or nothing. It’s all about WHERE it played in Cannes. If it’s part of the official selection, that’s a big deal. If it’s in the competition for the Palme d’Or, that’s the biggest deal possible. If it’s in one of the official sidebars, like Directors’ Fortnight or Critics Week, that’s also a big deal. But it means very little if a movie is playing in the Market – the simultaneous event that takes place in the caverns of the Palais. Anybody can screen anything there, as long as they’re willing to pay. And if someone has a movie showing in the Short Film Corner, it simply means that they’re spending their own money to network and show a short in the basement of the Palais, where various booths are set up for folks to network. Such screenings are NOT curated, and being in the Short Film Corner isn’t a sign of artistic achievement, in any stretch of the imagination, unless you think that the trend of “everybody gets a trophy” is actually worthwhile.

3. Americans are going to be getting far more attention in Cannes this year than they have in some previous years, at least if you’re looking at the official selection. The movies are: Woody Allen’s “Café Society,” Jeff Nichols’ “Loving,” Sean Penn’s “The Last Face,” Jim Jarmusch’s “Paterson,” Michael O’Shea’s “The Transfiguration,” Matt Ross’ “Captain Fantastic,” Shane Black’s “The Nice Guys,” Jodie Foster’s “Money Monster,” Steven Spielberg’s “The BFG,” Jonathan Littell’s “Wrong Elements,” Jarmusch’s “Gimme Danger,” with a special tribute to Robert De Niro with a screening of “Hands of Stone,” directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz, a longtime friend of Austin’s Robert Rodriguez and Elizabeth Avellan and a former student at the Radio Television Film Department at the University of Texas.

4. Cannes always has some wild movies in the competition. This year, the wildest promises to be Nicoloas Winding Refn’s “The Neon Demon,” which the Danish director filmed in L.A. It’s about cannibalism and supermodels. Refn is hit-or-miss at Cannes. His movie “Drive,” starring Ryan Gosling, was a hit when it played at Cannes in 2011. But in 2013, “Only God Forgives” fell flat with most critics.

Ethical conflicts and new heroes power ‘Captain America: Civil War’

Joe Gross — Thu, 05 May 2016 18:29:32 +0000

Chris Evans, Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in “Captain America: Civil War.” (Photo courtesy Marvel Studios/TNS)

“When we last saw our heroes …” is the way any discussion of “Captain America: Civil War” should start, as this often intensely enjoyable film doesn’t even present any pretext of standing on its own. Which doesn’t mean it’s not a funny, thoughtful blast.

On one level, it is a 147-minute hunk of episodic filmmaking, yet another chapter of an old-school serial, as much the next Avengers movie as it is a Captain America picture.

» Read full review at MyStatesman.com » Find showtimes for “Captain America: Civil War”

Twitch is Back!

FernandoM — Wed, 04 May 2016 22:27:07 +0000

TWITCH IS BACK! We’re reopening our Twitter feed to current AFF film, script, or digital series entrants* who would like to pitch their projects in 140 characters or less. All participants will receive a $10... Read More

Austin Film Society to open AFS Cinema in 2017 at Marchesea Hall location

Joe Gross — Wed, 04 May 2016 20:34:17 +0000

The Austin Film Society announced Wednesday that it has signed an agreement to operate the theater and event venue formerly known as the Marchesa Hall and Theater at 6226 Middle Fiskville Road)

The venue will be temporarily renamed the AFS Cinema until—after undergoing renovations to incorporate a second screen—it will relaunch with new branding and expanded programming in early 2017.

The property is owned by Renaissance Limited, and AFS has signed a long-term lease, the terms of which were not disclosed.

AFS director Holly Herrick said that the nonprofit film organization was meeting with architects and planners to see what was possible in the space.

“We want to run a full-time arthouse by early 2017 and continue to rent out the event hall until the renovation is complete,” Herrick said. The Marchesa is also home to such events as Staple! The Indie Media Expo, MondoCon and Inspire Pro Wrestling.

The plan is for the two screen cinema to give a full-theatrical run to the sorts of independent films and contemporary foreign films that might not make it to indie-oriented cinemas such as the Violent Crown, the Alamo Drafthouses or the Arbor.

“The idea is to be able to offer these films something more than a single screening, something like a real opening in town,” Herrick said. “This means we don’t just do two or three screenings a month of these sorts of movies, it means we can do it all the time.”

The AFS has been using the Marchesa since 2013. The plan now is to keep the current, 278-seat theater and turn one of the other rooms back into a second theater. AFS co-founder and artistic director Richard Linklater announced lead gifts and AFS’s plans to open an arthouse theater on stage at the Texas Film Awards in March.

David Monahan, an Austin native who has held management positions with Nordstrom’s, UT’s Texas Performing Arts and the Alamo Drafthouse, has been hired as general manager.

Leaving the space is Marchesa owner/booker Deborah Gill, who has been synonymous with the space since 2009.

“It was a very hard decision, but the lease was up and AFS was really ready to take that next step,” Gill said Thursday. “My career has always been about building a strong community around the arts, and that’s not going to change. I stand behind what they want to do and I am proud to have been a part of it.”

Gill is also a longtime rock promoter whose family also owns and operates the Parlor.

Watch This: OUTSIDER, Episode 1: The True Story Behind MIAMI CONNECTION

noreply@blogger.com (Lars Nilsen) — Wed, 04 May 2016 20:12:00 +0000

As the screwed-and-chopped narration intones at the beginning of the first episode of the new Vice show OUTSIDER, "Welcome to the show that reveals the beautifully complex and unique minds behind the world's most inadvertently insane movies."

This new show, produced by sometime-AFS staffer Zack Carlson and Vice-lord Evan Husney, promises to take us into the lives and stranger-than-fiction stories of the filmmakers behind some of the wildest movies we've ever (or never) seen.

Many have seen THE MIAMI CONNECTION, thanks to the tireless efforts of Carlson and Husney to rerelease it through Drafthouse Films. Now, the true story of master Y.K. Kim, and his central Florida followers, can be revealed.

One word: WOW.

Watch here:

Austin Film Society Takes Over the Marchesa

Wed, 04 May 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Lincoln Village site to become permanent two-screen cinema