Howard, a documentary on the life of Academy Award winning lyricist Howard Ashman, premieres Friday, August 7 on Disney+. The movie, which initially premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, is directed by Don Hahn (Waking Sleeping Beauty). This post features a rare interview with Howard Ashman (sitting down with The Little Mermaid collaborator Alan Menken) along with information on Howard.
Matthew Farinelli, Sarah Owens, Andrew Kosek and Richie Owens - Hudson Valley
Country group Hudson Valley’s new single “Right Place Now” is as catchy as can be, and I’m keeping that song’s infectious energy as I write this quick little post. Truth to tell, my forte is not country music, but after listening to “Right Place Now,” I’m definitely giving this outfit a shot on Spotify.
Jenny Slate’s abilities as a lead actress were confirmed in 2014’s Obvious Child, and that holds true with The Sunlit Night. Based on Rebecca Dinerstein Knight’s novel (and also adapted into the screenplay by the author), The Sunlit Night is a coming of age dramedy that, at 82 minutes, is short, sweet, and to the point. I loved its brevity and balance between the lighter and darker moments, and fans of Slate should gravitate to the film.
Orion Lee (left) as "King-Lu" and John Magaro (right) as "Cookie" in director Kelly Reichardt's FIRST COW, released by A24 Films. Credit : Allyson Riggs / A24 Films
First Cow, the newest A24 release, directed by Kelly Reichardt, is a subtle study of the American Dream. Unlike the sprawling Go-West epics of movies like Far and Away,First Cow prefers to focus on a tiny moment in this nation’s long history, the sort of story that was probably repeated countless times in the building of America.
Directed by Elizabeth Coffman and Mark Bosco Sj, Flannery centers on the life and work of acclaimed Southern writer Flannery O’Connor (Wise Blood, A Good Man Is Hard To Find). The documentary hits virtual theaters starting Friday July 17, and the filmmakers talked about their long but gratifying journey of making Flannery.
Petr Kotlár as “A Boy” in Václav Marhoul’s THE PAINTED BIRD. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
Based on Jerzy Kosinski’s novel, The Painted Bird is nearly three hours of brutal and unforgiving events experienced by a young boy (Peter Kotlár) who is struggling his best to survive in the closing days of World War II. Shot on 35mm, this black and white epic is a visual feast for the eyes, but some viewers will be turned off by its unrelenting violence and degradation.
Róisín O’Neill as Fatima
,
Barry Keoghan as
Dympna
Devers,
Cosmo Jarvis as
Douglas “Arm” Armstrong
and Toni O’Rourke as Lisa
in the thrille
r film “
THE
SHADOW OF VIOLENCE
,” a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
Any movie that stars Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) has my attention, so The Shadow of Violence is a ruthless looking feature that I’m putting on my radar. Check out the post for the trailer, images, and poster!
A still from the animated adaptation of O’Connor’s short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find;” animation by Natalie Barahona
On the latest episode of Flick City, I cover the documentary Flannery and the Jenny Slate headlined feature The Sunlit Night. Interviews with Flannery filmmakers Elizabreth Coffman and Mark Bosco, along with a chat with The Sunlit Night writer Rebecca Dinestein Knight, are featured in the episode.
Emily Mortimer as “Kay” in Natalie Erika James’ RELIC. Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight Release.
Relic (2020 — Video On Demand) is the impressive feature debut by Australian director, Natalie Erika James. Following in the footsteps of other recent, slow-burn, arthouse horror debuts (Hereditary, The Witch, and The Babadook), Relic aims to tell a story of human relationships, shrouded in the guise of horror.
Director Neill Blomkamp’s acclaimed science fiction thriller District 9 is coming oout on 4K Ultra HD on October 13 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Bonus features information is below!
