Comedians have often had success creating over-the-top alter egos. Garry Shandling had Larry Sanders. Martin Short had Jiminy Glick. Now, Tara Jepsen and Beth Lisick hope to replicate some of that success with their portrayal of the low-functioning but highly charismatic “estrogen comediennes” Carole Murphy and Mitzi Fitzsimmons in “Rods & Cones.” “We wanted to develop characters that were just so removed from even the notion of self-examination that they were totally happy,” Jepsen tells Backstage. Jepsen and Lisick relied on Kickstarter to get the series off the ground, which Jepsen describes as a “miserable, and even embarrassing” experience. They only wanted to do a Kickstarter once, knowing their supporters weren’t any more well off than they were. “It had to be in service of a greater vision of showcasing our act — and writing, selling a series, doing things that will be meaningful,” Jepson says. “But it’s not fair...
- 1/27/2015
- backstage.com
Billing itself (with more than a little justification, too) as "the world's most popular film noir festival," Noir City opens today in San Francisco and runs through January 29. The star of this tenth edition, as Matt Sussman notes in his overview for the Bay Guardian, will be "Angie Dickinson, who will be feted and interviewed in person at a double bill of two of her best: The Killers (1964) and Point Blank (1967). Whereas Ava Gardner simmered her way through Robert Siodmak's 1946 adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's short story, the temperature of Dickinson's Killers mob girl is harder to take in Don Siegel's remarkably brutal remake: a Monroe in harsher lines with nothing of the little girl lost about her. So too in Point Blank — which re-teams Dickinson with her Killers costar Lee Marvin — does she put up a good fight, even as she brandishes her sexuality like a semi-automatic.
- 1/20/2012
- MUBI
“Oh, God, I hope I’m not flashing anybody,” said actor Zoe Saldana, one hand holding a mic and the other tugging on her strapless dress as she took a seat on stage at the W San Francisco hotel. Host Beth Lisick, joining her as host for 2011’s San Francisco International Film Festival's Midnight Awards, replied, “I think that’s alright. Is everybody okay with what’s happening here? I told Zoe we ...
- 4/25/2011
- Indiewire
[Our thanks to Michael Hawley for providing these SFIFF54 screener reviews.] The 54th edition of the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF54) gets underway this Thursday, April 21 and runs until May 5. Since the Opening Press Conference three weeks ago, the fest has announced that Oliver Stone will receive the 2011 Founder's Directing Award, in a program that will include an onstage interview, clips reel and screening of 1986's Salvador starring James Woods. It has also been revealed that actors Zoe Saldana (Avatar's Na'vi princess) and Clifton Collins Jr. (Perry Smith in Capote) will accept this year's Midnight Awards, in a late-night talk show-styled ceremony hosted by Beth Lisick at the W Hotel. Still waiting to be announced is the recipient of SFIFF54's...
- 4/18/2011
- Screen Anarchy
After a woeful two-year hiatus — and actually it had been assumed as a death — the San Francisco Underground Short Film Festival is back from the dead with a vengeance! Once again headed up by the Bay Area’s midnight movie grande dame Peaches Christ, this year’s Sfusff begins at the unholy early hour of 7:30 p.m., so that means tons more fun and outrageousness for the fest this time.
Taking place at the Victoria Theater on April 15, there will be 21 short films, including the centerpiece of the fest: The World Premiere of director xuxE’s Devious, Inc., a musical adventure set in the world of kinky fetish competitions. The film is also not a short film. It’s a feature-length movie that will close the fest at 10:30 p.m. and will be preceded by one of Peaches Christ’s astounding live performances.
In fact, the entire night...
Taking place at the Victoria Theater on April 15, there will be 21 short films, including the centerpiece of the fest: The World Premiere of director xuxE’s Devious, Inc., a musical adventure set in the world of kinky fetish competitions. The film is also not a short film. It’s a feature-length movie that will close the fest at 10:30 p.m. and will be preceded by one of Peaches Christ’s astounding live performances.
In fact, the entire night...
- 3/25/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Best DirectorDarren Aronofsky'Black Swan'In many ways, Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" is similar to his previous film, "The Wrestler." Both lead characters are dedicated artists struggling with inner demons. To express themselves, they have only their bodies. Their age, injuries, and mental stability threaten to undermine their art.However, in "Black Swan," Aronofsky masterfully adds another layer. He parallels the journey of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) with the tale of "Swan Lake," the tragic ballet in which she performs. The astute viewer will notice his use of black and white in the set pieces of almost every scene, alluding to the contrast between the white and black swans. He adds elements of horror, drama, and paranoia, all of which exist in "Swan Lake." He directs the actors in such a way that you aren't ever sure what is fantasy and what is reality. All of these elements add...
- 1/19/2011
- backstage.com
The San Francisco International Film Festival came to its curtain call Thursday night with the closing night film Unmade Beds, followed by a party at the Mezzanine club in Soma. Instead of going, I reflected on the fact that I saw over thirty films at the festival this year. Not all of them good—some were terrible, some weren’t even worth writing about.
I’ll be having a rundown of the festival’s best and worst films Monday night Live on the air, as I’ll be joining the good folks at Worst Show on the Web for their second show focused on Sfiff. Be sure to tune in starting 8 Pm, or you can download the show later at any time.
In the mean time, here’s what I have to say briefly about the festival this year... What threw me off a little was that while I’m...
I’ll be having a rundown of the festival’s best and worst films Monday night Live on the air, as I’ll be joining the good folks at Worst Show on the Web for their second show focused on Sfiff. Be sure to tune in starting 8 Pm, or you can download the show later at any time.
In the mean time, here’s what I have to say briefly about the festival this year... What threw me off a little was that while I’m...
- 5/11/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
The 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival will hold its third annual Midnight Awards, honoring Elijah Wood and Evan Rachel Wood, on April 25 at the W San Francisco Hotel.
The event, taking the form of a late-night talk show hosted by author Beth Lisick, will include interviews with the two young actors and clips of their work before the presentation of the awards.
The Midnight Awards were created in 2007 to honor a dynamic young actor and actress entering the prime of their careers who have made outstanding contributions to independent and Hollywood cinema and who bring intelligence, talent and depth of character to their roles. Previous honorees are Rose McGowan, Jason Lee, Rosario Dawson and Sam Rockwell.
Elijah Wood, who starred in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, recently lent his voice to Focus' animated film "9." He was last seen in "Oxford Murders" and "Paris, Je T'aime." He is making his first foray into producing,...
The event, taking the form of a late-night talk show hosted by author Beth Lisick, will include interviews with the two young actors and clips of their work before the presentation of the awards.
The Midnight Awards were created in 2007 to honor a dynamic young actor and actress entering the prime of their careers who have made outstanding contributions to independent and Hollywood cinema and who bring intelligence, talent and depth of character to their roles. Previous honorees are Rose McGowan, Jason Lee, Rosario Dawson and Sam Rockwell.
Elijah Wood, who starred in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, recently lent his voice to Focus' animated film "9." He was last seen in "Oxford Murders" and "Paris, Je T'aime." He is making his first foray into producing,...
- 3/24/2009
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
by indieWIRE (January 4, 2009) Editors Note: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling dramatic and documentary competition and American Spectrum directors who have films screening at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
Wayne has a job, a wife, two kids, and a house. He's living the American Dream. There's a fine line, however, between a dream and nightmare, and Wayne finds himself at odds with the life he has and preoccupied by the life he thinks he wants. He floats passively in a swirling sea inhabited by his emotionally unpredictable wife, his out-of-control young children, and his embattled friends, who have demons of their own. As things change for others, Wayne's life takes emotional turns, which are sometimes subtle and sometimes violent but never enough to shake him off the track he doesn't remember choosing.
Everything Strange and New
Director: Frazer Bradshaw
Screenwriter: Frazer Bradshaw
Executive Producers: Stephen Bannatyne,...
Wayne has a job, a wife, two kids, and a house. He's living the American Dream. There's a fine line, however, between a dream and nightmare, and Wayne finds himself at odds with the life he has and preoccupied by the life he thinks he wants. He floats passively in a swirling sea inhabited by his emotionally unpredictable wife, his out-of-control young children, and his embattled friends, who have demons of their own. As things change for others, Wayne's life takes emotional turns, which are sometimes subtle and sometimes violent but never enough to shake him off the track he doesn't remember choosing.
Everything Strange and New
Director: Frazer Bradshaw
Screenwriter: Frazer Bradshaw
Executive Producers: Stephen Bannatyne,...
- 1/5/2009
- by brian
- indieWIRE - People
Premieres
To showcase the diversity of contemporary independent cinema, this section offers the latest work from American and international directors and world premieres of highly anticipated films.
Adventureland / U.S. (Director-screenwriter: Greg Mottola)
In 1987, a recent college graduate takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park and discovers the job is perfect preparation for the real world. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader. World premiere
Brooklyn's Finest / U.S. (Director: Antoine Fuqua; screenwriter: Michael C. Martin)
After enduring vastly different career paths, three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location. Cast: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle, Ellen Barkin. World premiere
Earth Days / U.S. (Director: Robert Stone)
The history of our environmental undoing through the eyes of nine Americans whose work and actions launched the modern environmental movement. World premiere, closing-night film
Endgame / U.K. (Director: Pete Travis; screenwriter: Paula Milne)
A...
To showcase the diversity of contemporary independent cinema, this section offers the latest work from American and international directors and world premieres of highly anticipated films.
Adventureland / U.S. (Director-screenwriter: Greg Mottola)
In 1987, a recent college graduate takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park and discovers the job is perfect preparation for the real world. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader. World premiere
Brooklyn's Finest / U.S. (Director: Antoine Fuqua; screenwriter: Michael C. Martin)
After enduring vastly different career paths, three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location. Cast: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle, Ellen Barkin. World premiere
Earth Days / U.S. (Director: Robert Stone)
The history of our environmental undoing through the eyes of nine Americans whose work and actions launched the modern environmental movement. World premiere, closing-night film
Endgame / U.K. (Director: Pete Travis; screenwriter: Paula Milne)
A...
- 12/4/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- Because the Dramatic Main Competition category can only hold so many titles, the Spectrum becomes a second option for Sundance staff to include so more dramatic fair. 12 of the 16 selected are world premieres (I caught Johnny Mad Dog at Cannes and missed out on Lymelife at Tiff) from returnee directors such as Sterlin Harjo, Jeff Lipsky and Bobcat Goldthwait. Dramatic films screening in Spectrum are: Against the Current / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Peter Callahan)—Facing the anniversary of his pregnant wife's tragic death, thirty-five-year old Paul Thompson enlists the help of two friends to help him swim the length of the Hudson River. Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Justin Kirk, Elizabeth Reaser, Mary Tyler Moore, Michelle Trachtenberg. World Premiere The Anarchist's Wife (La Mujer del Anarquista) / Germany/Spain (Directors: Marie Noelle and Peter Sehr; Screenwriters: Marie Noelle and Ray Loriga)—During the Spanish Civil War an idealistic young lawyer combating Franco's
- 12/4/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
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