With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Beauty and the Beast (Bill Condon)
The near-ubiquitous familiarity with the majority of Disney animations make the financial proposition of a live-action remake a no-brainer greenlight. In aiming to appeal to those experiencing these stories for the first time, the generation prior, and the generation that brought that generation to the theater, it can also be as creatively risk-averse as one might imagine. As these cultural touchstones get dusted...
Beauty and the Beast (Bill Condon)
The near-ubiquitous familiarity with the majority of Disney animations make the financial proposition of a live-action remake a no-brainer greenlight. In aiming to appeal to those experiencing these stories for the first time, the generation prior, and the generation that brought that generation to the theater, it can also be as creatively risk-averse as one might imagine. As these cultural touchstones get dusted...
- 6/9/2017
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
And the Independent Spirit Awards have revealed the winners and it's looking a lot like the Academy Awards! "Birdman" beat "Boyhood" for the Best Feature trophy but Richard Linklater took away the Best Director award from Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu.
Is this a sign of what's going to happen at the Oscars tonight?
Stay tuned...
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Winners (Highlighted) And Nominees
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Winner: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood
Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange
Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma
Producers: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Whiplash
Producers: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michael Litvak
Best Director
Winner: Richard Linklater
Boyhood
Damien Chazelle
Whiplash
Ava DuVernay...
Is this a sign of what's going to happen at the Oscars tonight?
Stay tuned...
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Winners (Highlighted) And Nominees
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Winner: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood
Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange
Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma
Producers: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Whiplash
Producers: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michael Litvak
Best Director
Winner: Richard Linklater
Boyhood
Damien Chazelle
Whiplash
Ava DuVernay...
- 2/22/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Just one night before the Oscars take over town, stars flocked to the 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards on the Santa Monica Beach on Saturday (February 21).
Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell joined forces for co-hosting duties and put on a fabulous show as actors and actresses including Scarlett Johansson, Ethan Hawke, Jessica Chastain, Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto and Emma Stone turned up to lend their star power to the IFC airing ceremony.
As for this year's cream of the crop, Michael Keaton (Birdman), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) and Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) took home top honors in the lead and supporting acting categories.
Meanwhile, in what very well may be an indicator for what's to come tomorrow at the Academy Awards, "Birdman" was recognized as Best Feature while Richard Linklater nabbed Best Director accolades for "Boyhood".
Check out the full list of winners from the 2015 Spirit Awards below!
Best...
Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell joined forces for co-hosting duties and put on a fabulous show as actors and actresses including Scarlett Johansson, Ethan Hawke, Jessica Chastain, Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto and Emma Stone turned up to lend their star power to the IFC airing ceremony.
As for this year's cream of the crop, Michael Keaton (Birdman), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) and Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) took home top honors in the lead and supporting acting categories.
Meanwhile, in what very well may be an indicator for what's to come tomorrow at the Academy Awards, "Birdman" was recognized as Best Feature while Richard Linklater nabbed Best Director accolades for "Boyhood".
Check out the full list of winners from the 2015 Spirit Awards below!
Best...
- 2/22/2015
- GossipCenter
The 2015 Spirit Awards were handed out today and it was Birdman taking Best Feature and Best Actor (Michael Keaton) while Boyhood went home a double winner taking Best Director (Richard Linklater) and Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette). However, while that's the result for the two big guns that will be going head-to-head at tomorrow night's Oscars, Nightcrawler was also a double winner taking Best Screenplay and Best First Feature, both awarded to writer/director Dan Gilroy. Otherwise, no big surprises with Julianne Moore (Still Alice) taking Best Actress and J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) taking Supporting Actor, Citizenfour took Best Documentary and Birdman scored a third win for Emmanuel Lubezki for Best Cinematography. Justin Simien (Dear White People) took home Best First Screenplay and, whoa!, Look!, Whiplash was also a double winner, with Tom Cross winning for Best Editing (well deserved!) and anticipated Oscar winner in the same category, Ida won Best Foreign Language Film.
- 2/22/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The 30th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were presented Saturday from a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. Check out the full list of winners below. Best Feature "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" - Winner "Boyhood" "Love is Strange" "Selma" "Whiplash" Best Director Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash" Ava DuVernay, "Selma" Alejandro G. Iñárritu, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" Richard Linklater, "Boyhood" - Winner David Zellner, "Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter" Best Screenplay Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, "Big Eyes" J.C. Chandor, "A Most Violent Year" Dan Gilroy, "Nightcrawler" - Winner Jim Jarmusch, "Only Lovers Left Alive" Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, "Love is Strange" Best First Feature Ana Lily Amirpour, "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" Justin Simien, "Dear White People" Dan Gilroy, "Nightcrawler" - Winner Gillian Robespierre, "Obvious Child" Anja Marquardt, "She's Lost Control" Best First Screenplay Desiree Akhavan, "Appropriate Behavior" Sara Colangelo, "Little Accidents" Justin Lader,...
- 2/21/2015
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
The 30th Independent Spirit Awards was held in Santa Monica Saturday afternoon, and "Birdman" and "Boyhood" were the ceremony's big winners. Hosted by Kristen Bell and Fred Armisen, the more casual Oscar precursor honored the best in independent filmmaking from the past year. Only three films -- "12 Years a Slave," "Platoon," and "The Artist" -- have won best feature at the Spirits and gone on to nab the Best Picture Oscar. Time will tell if this year's Spirit winner will follow in their footsteps. Get a complete list of the nominees with the winners in bold, below:
Best Feature
"Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" - Winner
"Boyhood"
"Love is Strange"
"Selma"
"Whiplash"
Best Director
Richard Linklater, "Boyhood" - Winner
Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"
Ava DuVernay, "Selma"
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"
David Zellner, "Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter"
Best Screenplay
Dan Gilroy, "Nightcrawler" - Winner
Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski,...
Best Feature
"Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" - Winner
"Boyhood"
"Love is Strange"
"Selma"
"Whiplash"
Best Director
Richard Linklater, "Boyhood" - Winner
Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"
Ava DuVernay, "Selma"
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"
David Zellner, "Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter"
Best Screenplay
Dan Gilroy, "Nightcrawler" - Winner
Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski,...
- 2/21/2015
- by Alana Altmann
- Moviefone
Actors Emmy Rossum and Michael Pena joined Film Independent president Josh Welsh on Saturday to announce the winners of the 2015 Spirit Awards Grants, which honors emerging filmmakers with $25,000 in unrestricted funds.
The grants were handed out at the organization’s annual Spirit Awards nominees brunch, held at West Hollywood’s Boa Steakhouse, and saw Chris Ohlson, Dan Krauss and Rania Attich and Daniel Garcia take top spots.
“At Film Independent our mission is to support independent filmmakers all year long, helping them to get their films made and to build the audience for their work,” Welsh said.
“One of the...
The grants were handed out at the organization’s annual Spirit Awards nominees brunch, held at West Hollywood’s Boa Steakhouse, and saw Chris Ohlson, Dan Krauss and Rania Attich and Daniel Garcia take top spots.
“At Film Independent our mission is to support independent filmmakers all year long, helping them to get their films made and to build the audience for their work,” Welsh said.
“One of the...
- 1/10/2015
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Though director Chris Eska’s excellent film The Retrieval is now streaming on Netflix (as reported by Vanessa in her review of the film a few days ago Here) Kino Lorber has announced this week that the label will also be releasing the film on Blu-ray DVD on Feb. 10th The film, which successfully played the film festival circuit last year, and set during the Civil War deals with a thirteen-year-old boy who survives by working with a white bounty hunter gang. They send him to earn the trust of runaway slaves in order to lure them back to the south. However while on a forced mission into the free north to find Nate, a fugitive freedman, things go wrong and Will and...
- 11/28/2014
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
As the awards show season ramps up into full intensity, the 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards just unveiled their list of hopefuls.
And not surprisingly, “Birdman” has received a whopping six mentions, followed closely behind by “Boyhood, “Selma” and “Nightcrawler,” each with five chances for glory.
Meanwhile, “Whiplash” and “Love is Strange” nabbed four nominations and “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” and “A Most Violent Year” scored three times.
The Film Independent Spirit Awards puts a budget cap of $20 million on movies, and therefore “Foxcatcher,” “Inherent Vice” and “Grand Budapest Hotel” were not up for consideration.
Slated to take place on February 21st in a tent on Santa Monica Beach, the 30th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards is going to be an exciting event.
And the nominees are:
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the producer. Executive producers are not awarded.)
“Birdman (or The...
And not surprisingly, “Birdman” has received a whopping six mentions, followed closely behind by “Boyhood, “Selma” and “Nightcrawler,” each with five chances for glory.
Meanwhile, “Whiplash” and “Love is Strange” nabbed four nominations and “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” and “A Most Violent Year” scored three times.
The Film Independent Spirit Awards puts a budget cap of $20 million on movies, and therefore “Foxcatcher,” “Inherent Vice” and “Grand Budapest Hotel” were not up for consideration.
Slated to take place on February 21st in a tent on Santa Monica Beach, the 30th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards is going to be an exciting event.
And the nominees are:
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the producer. Executive producers are not awarded.)
“Birdman (or The...
- 11/26/2014
- GossipCenter
Director Chris Eska's topowerful Civil War drama "The Retrieval," is now streaming on Netflix. Star Tishuan Scott won the Jury Award for Best Actor at last year's SXSW Film Festival, for his performance as Nate, a fugitive freed man who comes across a young boy and his uncle, both who are sent by a gang of bounty hunters to capture him. The film was also the winner of the jury award for Best Narrative film at the 2013 Ashland Independent Film Festival. Writer/director Chris Eska (2007’s "August Evening" has crafted a very unique and cleverly scripted tale about a young boy named Will, played impressively by...
- 11/26/2014
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
As 2014 winds down, the film industry is kicking into awards season once again, with today revealing nominations for the 2015 Spirit Awards. As many predicted, Birdman is leading the pack with six nominations, including one for Best Picture. Other big winners at the moment include Selma, Nightcrawler and Whiplash.
The Spirit Awards will be held on February 21st, 2015, just one day before the Oscars. Below is a detailed listing of the nominees, check them out and let us know what you think in the comments section.
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) – Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood – Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange – Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma – Producers: Christian Colson,...
The Spirit Awards will be held on February 21st, 2015, just one day before the Oscars. Below is a detailed listing of the nominees, check them out and let us know what you think in the comments section.
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) – Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood – Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange – Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma – Producers: Christian Colson,...
- 11/26/2014
- by Robert Kojder
- We Got This Covered
Film Independent announced nominations for the 2015 Spirit Awards this morning.
Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the press conference held at the W Hollywood, with actors Rosario Dawson and Diego Luna presenting the nominations. Watch Here.
Nominees for Best Feature included Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Boyhood, Love is Strange, Selma and Whiplash.
“As we celebrate 30 years of great independent film,” said Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent, “this year’s nominees are an astonishingly strong group of films and filmmakers which demonstrate the uniqueness of vision we honor at this show.”
Inherent Vice was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts.
“Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice is a testament to the...
Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the press conference held at the W Hollywood, with actors Rosario Dawson and Diego Luna presenting the nominations. Watch Here.
Nominees for Best Feature included Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Boyhood, Love is Strange, Selma and Whiplash.
“As we celebrate 30 years of great independent film,” said Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent, “this year’s nominees are an astonishingly strong group of films and filmmakers which demonstrate the uniqueness of vision we honor at this show.”
Inherent Vice was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts.
“Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice is a testament to the...
- 11/25/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" received the most nods from the Independent Spirit Awards! Nominations were announced today, and "Birdman" got 6 noms including Best Feature, Director, Editing, Male Lead (Michael Keaton), Supporting Female (Emma Stone), and Supporting Male for Edward Norton.
Richard Linklater's "Boyhood," Dan Gilroy's "Nightcrawler," and Ava Duvernay's "Selma" each received 5 nominations.
We'll find out the winners on Saturday, February 21st.
Here's the full list of nominees for the
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood
Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange
Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma
Producers: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Whiplash
Producers: Jason Blum,...
Richard Linklater's "Boyhood," Dan Gilroy's "Nightcrawler," and Ava Duvernay's "Selma" each received 5 nominations.
We'll find out the winners on Saturday, February 21st.
Here's the full list of nominees for the
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood
Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange
Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma
Producers: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Whiplash
Producers: Jason Blum,...
- 11/25/2014
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The nominations for the 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.
Birdman leads with six nominations including Best Feature, as well as nods for stars Michael Keaton and Emma Stone and director Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Selma have each received five nominations, which were announced by Rosario Dawson and Diego Luna in Hollywood.
The Best Female Lead category sees Marion Cotillard take on Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, Jenny Slate and Rinko Kikuchi. Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Lithgow, David Oyelowo, André Benjamin and Michael Keaton will battle it out in the Best Male Lead category.
The awards will be handed out on February 21, the day before the Oscars takes place.
The full 2015 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations:
Best Feature
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
Love is Strange
Selma
Whiplash
Best Director
Damien Chazelle - Whiplash
Ava DuVernay - Selma
Alejandro G. Iñárritu - Birdman or...
Birdman leads with six nominations including Best Feature, as well as nods for stars Michael Keaton and Emma Stone and director Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Selma have each received five nominations, which were announced by Rosario Dawson and Diego Luna in Hollywood.
The Best Female Lead category sees Marion Cotillard take on Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, Jenny Slate and Rinko Kikuchi. Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Lithgow, David Oyelowo, André Benjamin and Michael Keaton will battle it out in the Best Male Lead category.
The awards will be handed out on February 21, the day before the Oscars takes place.
The full 2015 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations:
Best Feature
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
Love is Strange
Selma
Whiplash
Best Director
Damien Chazelle - Whiplash
Ava DuVernay - Selma
Alejandro G. Iñárritu - Birdman or...
- 11/25/2014
- Digital Spy
The Independent Spirit Awards have revealed the full list of contenders for their 2015 awards which celebrate the best in independent movies. The Michael Keaton-led "Birdman" leads the list with six nominations. "Boyhood," "Nightcrawler" and "Selma" are in a three-way fight for second with three nominations each.
Two awards have already been announced with the Robert Altman award given to Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice" and a Special Distinction Award handed out to Bennett Miller's "Foxcatcher" which was ineligible for other awards due to its budget. Notable snubs include "The Imitation Game," "The Theory of Everything," "Wild," "St. Vincent," "Cake," "The Homesman," "Black or White" and major studio films like "Unbroken".
Other notable inclusions this year are "Whiplash,""Love is Strange," "A Most Violent Year," "The Immigrant," "Mommy," "Under the Skin," "Obvious Child," "Still Alice," "Force Majeure," "Only Lovers Left Alive," "Blue Ruin," "Ida," "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,...
Two awards have already been announced with the Robert Altman award given to Paul Thomas Anderson's "Inherent Vice" and a Special Distinction Award handed out to Bennett Miller's "Foxcatcher" which was ineligible for other awards due to its budget. Notable snubs include "The Imitation Game," "The Theory of Everything," "Wild," "St. Vincent," "Cake," "The Homesman," "Black or White" and major studio films like "Unbroken".
Other notable inclusions this year are "Whiplash,""Love is Strange," "A Most Violent Year," "The Immigrant," "Mommy," "Under the Skin," "Obvious Child," "Still Alice," "Force Majeure," "Only Lovers Left Alive," "Blue Ruin," "Ida," "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,...
- 11/25/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Birdman earned six nods and Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Selma five apiece as Rosario Dawson and Diego Luna unveiled the 2014 Spirit Award nominations in Los Angeles on November 25.Scroll down for full list of nominations
Birdman, Boyhood and Selma are in contention for best feature alongside Love Is Strange and Whiplash, which earned four nominations.
Richard Linklater and Alejandro G Iñárritu join Whiplash’s Damien Chazelle, Selma’s Ava DuVernay and David Zellner for Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter on the directors list.
Much-fancied Michael Keaton is nominated for his lead performance in Birdman and will compete against Nightcrawler’s Jake Gyllenhaal and Selma’s David Oyelowo, a late arrival to the awards banquet who has earned high praise in recent weeks for his role as Martin Luther King Jr.
The best actress category is populated by Julianne Moore for Still Alice — arguably the awards season front-runner in this race — as well as Marion Cotillard for The Immigrant, which...
Birdman, Boyhood and Selma are in contention for best feature alongside Love Is Strange and Whiplash, which earned four nominations.
Richard Linklater and Alejandro G Iñárritu join Whiplash’s Damien Chazelle, Selma’s Ava DuVernay and David Zellner for Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter on the directors list.
Much-fancied Michael Keaton is nominated for his lead performance in Birdman and will compete against Nightcrawler’s Jake Gyllenhaal and Selma’s David Oyelowo, a late arrival to the awards banquet who has earned high praise in recent weeks for his role as Martin Luther King Jr.
The best actress category is populated by Julianne Moore for Still Alice — arguably the awards season front-runner in this race — as well as Marion Cotillard for The Immigrant, which...
- 11/25/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Odd how a live announcement is beat by the complete rundown of all the awards from a major trade, but here are the complete nominations for the 3oth anniversary edition. Fox Searchlight’s 18 million bet proved to be a good one as Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) leads Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Selma by a busted up nose in the number of most nominations with six, while Linklater, Gilroy and DuVernay’s latest secured five noms a piece. Looking at the final five, we have a Best Feature category with a breakdown that resembles two parts Hollywood and three parts 4-5 million dollar indie range in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and Selma being joined by Boyhood, Love is Strange, Whiplash. Here are the complete noms.
Best Feature
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
Love is Strange
Selma
Whiplash
Best Director...
Best Feature
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
Love is Strange
Selma
Whiplash
Best Director...
- 11/25/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Fox Searchlight’s Birdman leads the 30th Film Independent Spirit Award nominations with six nods — best actor for Michael Keaton, director Alejandro G. Inarritu, supporting actress Emma Stone, supporting actor Edward Norton and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Selma follow with five noms each and Love Is Strange and Whiplash round out the Best Feature list. See the complete list of nominees below:
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood
Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange
Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma
Producers: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Whiplash
Producers: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michael Litvak
Best Director
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Ava DuVernay,...
2015 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood
Producers: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland
Love is Strange
Producers: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
Selma
Producers: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Whiplash
Producers: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michael Litvak
Best Director
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Ava DuVernay,...
- 11/25/2014
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
Tuesday morning, nominations were announced for the 30th annual Independent Spirit Awards. Nominees for Best Feature included "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)," "Boyhood," "Love is Strange," "Selma" and "Whiplash." Films with multiple nominations that didn’t crack the Best Feature include "Obvious Child," "Dear White People," "Nightcrawler," and "Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter." One film that’s notably missing (compared to our predictions): "The Imitation Game." Paul Thomas Anderson’s "Inherent Vice" earned the Robert Altman Award, which honors the film's director, casting director and ensemble cast. "Foxcatcher" earned a Special Distinction Award for "its uniqueness of vision, honesty of direction and screenwriting, superb acting and achievement on every level of filmmaking." Winners will be revealed at the annual pre-Oscar Santa Monica ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015. See the full list of nominations below: Best Feature "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" "Boyhood" "Love is Strange" "Selma" "Whiplash" Best Director Damien Chazelle,...
- 11/25/2014
- by Matt Patches
- Hitfix
The 2014 Independent Spirit Award nominations were just announced with Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman leading the charge with six nominations followed by Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Selma with five each. Of those four films, Birdman, Boyhood and Selma were nominated for Best Feature, joined by Love is Strange and a personal favorite of 2014, Whiplash, both of which earned four nominations each. Also earning nominations were Dear White People, A Most Violent Year, Obvious Child and The Immigrant. The awards will be handed out on February 21, check out the complete list of nominees below. Best Feature Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Boyhood Love is Strange Selma Whiplash Best Director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) Ava DuVernay (Selma) Alejandro G. Inarritu (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)) Richard Linklater (Boyhood) David Zellner (Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter) Best Screenplay Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski (Big Eyes...
- 11/25/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Nominees for the 30th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were announced Tuesday, with films such as "Birdman," "Selma," "Boyhood," and "Whiplash" racking up multiple nods.
"Birdman" led the pack with six nominations, including Best Feature, Best Director, and nods in all four acting categories. "Selma" and "Boyhood" tied at five nominations apiece, while "Whiplash" scored four.
The Independent Spirit Awards are seen as an alternative to the Oscars, and are given out to films that are made for less than $20 million. They also hand out a special statuette to a film made for less than $500,000.
This year, "Foxcatcher" (starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo) and "Inherent Vice" were cited for a special distinction award and the Robert Altman Award, respectively. Oscar hopefuls including Jake Gyllenhaal ("Nightcrawler"), Julianne Moore ("Still Alice"), Michael Keaton ("Birdman"), and Patricia Arquette ("Boyhood") also received nominations.
The awards will be handed out on February...
"Birdman" led the pack with six nominations, including Best Feature, Best Director, and nods in all four acting categories. "Selma" and "Boyhood" tied at five nominations apiece, while "Whiplash" scored four.
The Independent Spirit Awards are seen as an alternative to the Oscars, and are given out to films that are made for less than $20 million. They also hand out a special statuette to a film made for less than $500,000.
This year, "Foxcatcher" (starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo) and "Inherent Vice" were cited for a special distinction award and the Robert Altman Award, respectively. Oscar hopefuls including Jake Gyllenhaal ("Nightcrawler"), Julianne Moore ("Still Alice"), Michael Keaton ("Birdman"), and Patricia Arquette ("Boyhood") also received nominations.
The awards will be handed out on February...
- 11/25/2014
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
Austin Film Society is serving up one more screening of Beyond The Hills this evening at the Marchesa as part of their New Romanian Cinema series. Afs is offering its members a special sneak preview of local filmmaker Chris Eska's The Retrieval (Don's review) Sunday afternoon. I caught this haunting Civil War drama at SXSW last year and definitely recommend seeing it on the big screen. It will open in Austin in a few weeks, but Afs members can see it free at the Marchesa this weekend with a post-film Q&A featuring cast and crew. Hang out after The Retrieval for an Afs Auteur Obscure pick: Robert Clouse's 1970 film Darker Than Amber, preseted in 35mm. Jewels In The Wasteland is taking a break this week, but will return next Wednesday with Ingmar Bergman.
If you haven't caught Joe yet (or would just like to see it again...
If you haven't caught Joe yet (or would just like to see it again...
- 4/18/2014
- by Matt Shiverdecker
- Slackerwood
Deceptively simple and deeply cutting. A remarkable little film, a marvel of American indie filmmaking and of stories typically overlooked. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
So deceptively simple. And so deeply cutting. The year is 1864. Skirting American Civil War battlefields, and with, naturally, no notion that the end of the war is in sight, is 13-year-old Will (Ashton Sanders), who manages to survive as a free young black man, barely, by working, with his uncle, Marcus (Keston John), for a white bounty hunter, Burrell (Bill Oberst Jr.), who retrieves runaway slaves from the North and returns them to their “rightful” owners in the South. But their latest assignment, to ensnare Nate (Tishuan Scott: Computer Chess) for Burrell, has been a challenge for Will. For while Marcus is brusque and self-serving — or is he, too,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
So deceptively simple. And so deeply cutting. The year is 1864. Skirting American Civil War battlefields, and with, naturally, no notion that the end of the war is in sight, is 13-year-old Will (Ashton Sanders), who manages to survive as a free young black man, barely, by working, with his uncle, Marcus (Keston John), for a white bounty hunter, Burrell (Bill Oberst Jr.), who retrieves runaway slaves from the North and returns them to their “rightful” owners in the South. But their latest assignment, to ensnare Nate (Tishuan Scott: Computer Chess) for Burrell, has been a challenge for Will. For while Marcus is brusque and self-serving — or is he, too,...
- 4/11/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Variance Films has partnered up with director Chris Eska to release his powerful Civil War drama The Retrieval, which opened in New York City at Film Forum yesterday, April 2nd, before expanding to additional theaters beginning April 18th. To buy tickets click Here.Prior to his starring turn in Chris Eska’s acclaimed sophomore effort The Retrieval, Tishuan Scott had starred in several short films, along with a supporting role in the 2012 based-on-a-true-story film Alcatraz Prison Escape: Deathbed Confession. Scott, who received an M.F.A in acting from UCLA, can also be seen in Computer Chess, Symphony of...
- 4/3/2014
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
Low-budget period indie films are rare in and of themselves, but to find one which inhabits the war-torn south with such authenticity and veracity as Chris Eska’s The Retrieval is rarer still. Set towards the end of the Civil War, the picture follows young Will (Ashton Sanders), a former slave. Along with his uncle Marcus (Keston John), Will has fallen under the sway of brutal bounty hunter Burrell (an eerily effective Bill Oberst Jr.), who threatens to kill them unless they can retrieve escaped slave Nate (Tishuan Scott). Crossing lush forests that double as battlefields, Will and Nate struggle to survive […]...
- 4/3/2014
- by Brandon Harris
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Low-budget period indie films are rare in and of themselves, but to find one which inhabits the war-torn south with such authenticity and veracity as Chris Eska’s The Retrieval is rarer still. Set towards the end of the Civil War, the picture follows young Will (Ashton Sanders), a former slave. Along with his uncle Marcus (Keston John), Will has fallen under the sway of brutal bounty hunter Burrell (an eerily effective Bill Oberst Jr.), who threatens to kill them unless they can retrieve escaped slave Nate (Tishuan Scott). Crossing lush forests that double as battlefields, Will and Nate struggle to survive […]...
- 4/3/2014
- by Brandon Harris
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Variance Films has partnered up with director Chris Eska to release his powerful Civil War drama The Retrieval, which opened in New York City at Film Forum yesterday, April 2nd, before expanding to additional theaters beginning April 18th. To buy tickets click Here.Star Tishuan Scott won the Jury Award for Best Actor at last year's SXSW Film Festival, for his performance as Nate, a fugitive freed man who comes across a young boy and his uncle, both who are sent by a gang of bounty hunters to capture him. The film was also the winner of the jury award for Best Narrative film at the 2013 Ashland...
- 4/3/2014
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
Now playing at Film Forum in New York, The Retrieval is a drama set during the U.S. Civil War that is charged with emotion. In my review, I endeavored to convey the mood of the piece: "The film's strengths are cumulative, gathering force as the story develops and the characters are revealed more fully." Nothing speaks louder and more accurately than the film itself, however, and happily we have an exclusive clip that will give you an idea of the atmosphere created by the actors and director Chris Eska. In the scene, runaway slave Nate (Tishuan Scott) arrives at a farm with young orphan Will (Ashton Sanders) in tow, only to get a different reaction than he expected. Taken out of context of the movie as a...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 4/3/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Chris Eska crafted the finely-honed, modern-day drama August Evening, which featured a resilient, stoic Mexican immigrant who dealt with life's challenges as they arose. The Retrieval is Eska's followup, and it's a similar, low-key, high-quality affair that etches portraits of two African-American men at different stages of their lives during the Civil War era. Specifically, the film follows Will (Ashton Sanders), an orphan boy on the cusp of adulthood, and Nate (Tishuan Scott), a man who is the target of a "retrieval." Will works under the terribly firm hand of his uncle Marcus (Keston John), who is a bounty hunter in the business of returning runaway slaves. Having (seemingly) no other viable choice, the 13-year-old Will obeys and assists Marcus in his nefarious activities, which...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 4/2/2014
- Screen Anarchy
It’s unusual to experience both a deep sadness and feel uplifted at the same time, but The Retrieval manages to accomplish this flawlessly. There is no shortage of well-made films to make us happy and inspired, there is even a great selection of stellar films that leave us feeling depressed and miserable, but how many films have you seen that actually, in some strange way, leave you suspended in an emotional juxtaposition between the two extremes?
Written, directed and produced by Chris Eska, this gem of last year’s SXSW film festival (2013) stands as a beacon of powerful storytelling shining brightly through the dark veil of history from which it is born. The Retrieval takes place in 1864 in the midst of the Unites States Civil War. This is the story of Will, a 13-year old boy left behind by his father to be exploited by Marcus (Keston John). Marcus works as a bounty hunter,...
Written, directed and produced by Chris Eska, this gem of last year’s SXSW film festival (2013) stands as a beacon of powerful storytelling shining brightly through the dark veil of history from which it is born. The Retrieval takes place in 1864 in the midst of the Unites States Civil War. This is the story of Will, a 13-year old boy left behind by his father to be exploited by Marcus (Keston John). Marcus works as a bounty hunter,...
- 4/2/2014
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It’s not exactly a “slim pickings” type of month of April. Beyond our Top 3 Critics’ Picks, there are a handful of A & B Grade items worth pointing towards. In the docu sphere, NYC docu-lovers can get their fix this week with Errol Morris’ taking on a presidential wannabe with The Unknown Known (RADiUS-twc, April 2nd) and Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine’s The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (Zeitgeist Films, April 4th) which played at Telluride appears to work splendidly with archival material. Adding to the plethora of choices this upcoming weekend, you could easily add American low-budget indie Chris Eska’s The Retrieval (Variance Films, April 2nd) which and heavyweight auteur items such as the extremely well-received alien amongst us portrait in Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin (A24, April 4th) and Lvt’s fruitful psycho-sexual dealings in Nymphomaniac: Volume II (Magnolia Pictures, April 4th) while later in...
- 4/1/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Repo Men: Eska’s Latest a Gripping Coming of Age Narrative
Certain to be referred to as an indie film counterpart to Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 Django Unchained due to its depiction of black men involved in Civil War era bounty hunting, director Chris Eska’s emotionally engaging sophomore film, The Retrieval, is a resonant and haunting coming of age narrative that’s as adeptly written as it is performed. Tishuan Scott’s win for Breakthrough Performance at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival seems well placed, and will hopefully be an accolade that funnels some attention to the rather somber film.
It’s 1864 and America is in the last leg of the Civil War. Will (Ashton Sanders), who is 13 years of age, works with his uncle Marcus (Keston John) for a band of bounty hunters led by Burrell (Bill Oberst Jr.). Generally, Burrell and co. hunt down runaway slaves, using Will...
Certain to be referred to as an indie film counterpart to Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 Django Unchained due to its depiction of black men involved in Civil War era bounty hunting, director Chris Eska’s emotionally engaging sophomore film, The Retrieval, is a resonant and haunting coming of age narrative that’s as adeptly written as it is performed. Tishuan Scott’s win for Breakthrough Performance at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival seems well placed, and will hopefully be an accolade that funnels some attention to the rather somber film.
It’s 1864 and America is in the last leg of the Civil War. Will (Ashton Sanders), who is 13 years of age, works with his uncle Marcus (Keston John) for a band of bounty hunters led by Burrell (Bill Oberst Jr.). Generally, Burrell and co. hunt down runaway slaves, using Will...
- 4/1/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Chris Eska’s beautifully made Civil War drama “The Retrieval,” which opens at Film Forum April 2, is a quietly stirring journey into America’s ravaged heartland of 1864. It follows three black men, two fully grown and one barely on the cusp of adolescence, as they walk North and navigate the complexities of survival, self-interest and slowly emerging friendship. 13-year-old Will (Ashton Sanders) and the older Marcus (Keston John) work for a band of bounty hunters, led by the vicious Burrell (Bill Oberst Jr.). Often they are tasked with locating hidden slaves, insinuating themselves into the runaways’ company and then turning them over to Burrell’s gang. When Will and Marcus are sent on a mission to find Nate, a freed black man whose capture will bring a hefty sum, the two are warned that returning without Nate will spell death. Will and Marcus embark on their search, plodding through wintry...
- 3/31/2014
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
We’re not even halfway into 2014 and already this is proving to be a terrific year for movies. In March alone we had a slew of quality films: Enemy, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Raid 2, and Bad Words. This month is even better. What’s nice about this March and April is that they’ve given us some quality blockbusters that we’d expect from the summer without having to wait for the heat. While Noah had its flaws — a lot of them, to be exact — it was a grand and ambitious drama with the scope of a summer movie. A more consistent summer film is opening this week, and if you pay any attention to the world, you know which. A hint: it’s the one about a super soldier who was frozen for over 60 years and is now fighting a man with a metal arm that’ll make a gazillion dollars. The...
- 3/31/2014
- by Jack Giroux
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
ComingSoon.net has your exclusive first look at a clip from writer/director Chris Eska's The Retrieval , opening on April 2 and starring Ashton Sanders, Tishuan Scott, Keston John, Bill Oberst Jr., Christine Horn, Alfonso Freeman and Raven Ledeatte. 1864: as war ravages the nation, on the outskirts of the Civil War business as usual continues for slave-owners and traders. The Retrieval follows Will, a fatherless 13-year-old boy, who survives by working with a white bounty hunter gang who sends him to earn the trust of runaway slaves and wanted freedmen in order to lure them back to the South. On a dangerous mission into the free North to find Nate, a fugitive freedman, things go wrong, and Will and Nate find themselves alone and on the run. As the bond between them...
- 3/28/2014
- Comingsoon.net
Variance Films has partnered up with director Chris Eska to release his powerful Civil War drama The Retrieval, starting with a special preview engagement, beginning this Friday, March 14th in Atlanta at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema, followed by an opening in New York City at Film Forum on April 2nd, before expanding to additional theaters beginning April 18th. Prior to his starring turn in Chris Eska’s acclaimed sophomore effort The Retrieval, Tishuan Scott had starred in several short films, along with a supporting role in the 2012 based-on-a-true-story film Alcatraz Prison...
- 3/12/2014
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
Variance Films has partnered up with director Chris Eska to release his powerful Civil War drama The Retrieval, starting with a special preview engagement, beginning this Friday, March 14th in Atlanta at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema, followed by an opening in New York City at Film Forum on April 2nd, before expanding to additional theaters beginning April 18th. Star Tishuan Scott won the Jury Award for Best Actor at last year's SXSW Film Festival, for his performance as Nate, a fugitive freed man who comes across a young boy and his uncle, both who are sent by a...
- 3/12/2014
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
"If you don't bring this man back, I'll find ya and put you in the ground." Today's indie trailer is for a Civil War dramatic thriller titled The Retrieval, which won a Breakthrough Performance Award at SXSW 2013. Ashton Sanders plays a boy assigned by a bounty hunter gang to retrieve a wanted freedman, played by Tishuan Scott, and bring him back to the South. The two begin to form a bond and things get complicated. The cast includes Keston John, Bill Oberst Jr and Christine Horn. I'm not sure how we just found this film now, but it looks fantastic - stunning cinematography, powerful story, heart-wrenching performances. Wow. Watch the full theatrical trailer for Chris Eska's The Retrieval, in high def from Apple: On the outskirts of the Civil War, a boy (Ashton Sanders) is sent by a bounty hunter gang to retrieve a wanted freedman and bring him back to the South,...
- 3/2/2014
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Earlier this month, Variance Films announced that they'd partnered up with director Chris Eska to release his powerful Civil War drama The Retrieval - a film we've covered quite comprehensively on this blog, reviewing it, as well as interviewing the filmmaker, and one of the film's stars in Tishuan Scott.The film's release will begin with a special preview engagement, beginning March 14th in Atlanta at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema, followed by an opening in New York City at Film Forum on April 2nd, before expanding to additional theaters beginning April 18th. Set in 1864, toward the end of the Civil...
- 2/28/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Here's the latest Austin and Texas film news.
Local filmmaker Richard Linklater won the Berlin Film Festival's Silver Bear award for best director for his long-awaited feature Boyhood, which chronicles the life of a child from age six to 18 and stars native Texan Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, Indiewire reports. University alumnus Wes Anderson's movie The Grand Budapest Hotel, slated to hit U.S. theaters March 7, also won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize (a kind of runner-up to the Golden Bear for Best Picture).Drafthouse Films-distributed documentary The Act of Killing (Elizabeth's review) took home the Best Documentary Feature award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) ceremony on Sunday. The Best British Film award went to the movie Gravity, which stars Austin-based actress Sandra Bullock.Variance Films has partnered with filmmaker Chris Eska to bring his feature The Retrieval (Don's review) to theaters this spring,...
Local filmmaker Richard Linklater won the Berlin Film Festival's Silver Bear award for best director for his long-awaited feature Boyhood, which chronicles the life of a child from age six to 18 and stars native Texan Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, Indiewire reports. University alumnus Wes Anderson's movie The Grand Budapest Hotel, slated to hit U.S. theaters March 7, also won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize (a kind of runner-up to the Golden Bear for Best Picture).Drafthouse Films-distributed documentary The Act of Killing (Elizabeth's review) took home the Best Documentary Feature award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) ceremony on Sunday. The Best British Film award went to the movie Gravity, which stars Austin-based actress Sandra Bullock.Variance Films has partnered with filmmaker Chris Eska to bring his feature The Retrieval (Don's review) to theaters this spring,...
- 2/17/2014
- by Jordan Gass-Poore'
- Slackerwood
A hat-tip to Dylan Marchetti and his Variance Films posse for making another bold pick-up - going where others typically avoid. The company has been responsible for the releases of a handful of films we've covered on this blog - from Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer in 2012, to Terence Nance's An Oversimplification Of Her Beauty, John Sayles' Go For Sisters, and Roger Ross Williams' God Loves Uganda (the last 3 released in 2013).Today, Variance Films has announced that it will partner with director Chris Eska to release his powerful Civil War drama The Retrieval - a film we've covered quite comprehensively, reviewing...
- 2/13/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Nearly one year after its 2013 SXSW premiere, writer/director Chris Eska's Special Jury Prize winner "The Retrieval" will be theatrically released courtesy of Variance Films. The film stars newcomer Ashton Sanders as a fatherless 13-year-old boy during the Civil War who survives by working with a white bounty hunter gang that sends him to earn the trust of runaway slaves and wanted freedmen in order to lure them back to the South. "With The Retrieval, Chris has not only created a window into a little-known corner of history, but a stunning film filled with amazing performances, beautiful images, and a fantastic tone, all surprisingly rare things in independent film," said Variance’s Dylan Marchetti. Variance Films partners with leading independent filmmakers to distribute their films to theaters across the Us and Canada. Recent and upcoming releases from the company include Carl Deal and Tia Lessin's "Citizen Koch," John Sayles...
- 2/13/2014
- by Ziyad Saadi
- Indiewire
Variance Films will partner with Chris Eska for the theatrical release of Civil War drama The Retrieval.
Following a preview engagement starting on March 14 in Atlanta, the film will open in New York on April 2 prior to expansion on April 18.
Eska wrote and directed the 1864-set tale of a fatherless 13-year-old boy who corrals runaway slaves and freemen for a white bounty hunter gang.
Newcomer Ashton Sanders and Tishuan Scott star and Scott earned the breakthrough acting prize at SXSW 2013.
Jacob Esquivel and Jason Wehling produced The Retrieval and Alan Berg, Tom Borders and Sibyl Avery Jackson served as executive producers.
Yerka has teamed up with Random Media to distribute recent Sundance documentary selection Mirage Men across digital platforms.
Following a preview engagement starting on March 14 in Atlanta, the film will open in New York on April 2 prior to expansion on April 18.
Eska wrote and directed the 1864-set tale of a fatherless 13-year-old boy who corrals runaway slaves and freemen for a white bounty hunter gang.
Newcomer Ashton Sanders and Tishuan Scott star and Scott earned the breakthrough acting prize at SXSW 2013.
Jacob Esquivel and Jason Wehling produced The Retrieval and Alan Berg, Tom Borders and Sibyl Avery Jackson served as executive producers.
Yerka has teamed up with Random Media to distribute recent Sundance documentary selection Mirage Men across digital platforms.
- 2/13/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Screening at the 2nd Toronto Black Film Festival (Tbff), which kicked off yesterday, February 11, running through the 16th, is The Retrieval - a film well deserving of our appreciation and attention. Writer/director Chris Eska (2007’s August Evening) has crafted a very unique and cleverly scripted tale about a young boy named Will, played impressively by newcomer Ashton Sanders, who is sent along with his uncle Marcus (Keston John) by a gang of bounty hunters to retrieve Nate (Tishuan Scott), a wanted freed man. It’s an unexplored part of history dealing with slavery, especially on film; a complex and jarring dilemma of...
- 2/12/2014
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
Chris Eska’s award-winning sophomore film The Retrieval is schedule to screen at the upcoming Pan African Film Festival that takes place in Los Angeles, CA, which runs from February 6-17, 2014, celebrating its 22nd anniversary. Star Tishuan Scott won the Jury Award for Best Actor at last year's SXSW Film Festival, for his performance as Nate, a fugitive freed man who comes across a young boy and his uncle, both who are sent by a gang of bounty hunters to capture him. The film was also the winner of the jury award for Best Narrative film at the 2013 Ashland Independent Film Festival. Eska, who admits he is very hands-on, specific and “directorly” when it...
- 2/4/2014
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
We're glad to know that Chris Eska's powerful drama The Retrieval garnered the top honor - the Best Narrative Feature that is - at this year's Montreal International Black Film Festival, during its closing night ceremony at the Imperial Theater last night. The slavery set drama (read S&A's review Here), about a 13 year-old boy sent by a gang of bounty hunters along with his cousin to capture a fugitive ex-slave, has won several awards in during its festival run this year. However, well-acted and crafted film is still without distribution; hopefully it will be acquired for release stateside in the coming months. The Liberia-set documentary Small Small...
- 9/30/2013
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
My favorite line from this trailer: “The blood and guts fly out….the camera does not stop rolling!”…Well, let’s hope not!
The movie’s lead actor, who is slicing his way through more than half-naked nubile bodies is Bill Oberst Jr. If you were at the screening of the St. Louis-lensed shocker Coyote last month at Mx Theater, you saw that film’s star Mr. Oberst who is currently swinging for the title of “Hardest Working Man In Horror” with no less than twelve major roles in independent horror films this year. Bill’s most famous role was as honest Abe in Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies (2012), which, though not quite as good as Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter, was far superior than that boring-ass Speilberg movie.
The Los Angeles-based actor has just arrived in the woods of Kentucky to start shooting his 6th feature film of the year (The...
The movie’s lead actor, who is slicing his way through more than half-naked nubile bodies is Bill Oberst Jr. If you were at the screening of the St. Louis-lensed shocker Coyote last month at Mx Theater, you saw that film’s star Mr. Oberst who is currently swinging for the title of “Hardest Working Man In Horror” with no less than twelve major roles in independent horror films this year. Bill’s most famous role was as honest Abe in Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies (2012), which, though not quite as good as Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter, was far superior than that boring-ass Speilberg movie.
The Los Angeles-based actor has just arrived in the woods of Kentucky to start shooting his 6th feature film of the year (The...
- 6/4/2013
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
by Seth Metoyer, MoreHorror.com
A new teaser video for Ditch Day Massacre has been released (watch it under the details below).
The bloody film stars actor Bill Oberst Jr. as the axe wielding killer. Oberst is on track to complete 12 horror films this year, now that's some heavy lifting!
Check out all the details below and don't miss Ditch Day Massacre when it releases.
From The Press Release:
(With 12 Flicks In One Year, Is This The Hardest Working Man In Horror?)
A new teaser vid for the film Ditch has posted and the movie's lead actor is slicing his way through more than half-naked nubile bodies: Bill Oberst Jr. is swinging for the title of Hardest Working Man In Horror.
Oberst is on track to complete roles in 12 independent horror/thriller movies by year's end. The Los Angeles-based actor has just arrived in the woods of Kentucky to start...
A new teaser video for Ditch Day Massacre has been released (watch it under the details below).
The bloody film stars actor Bill Oberst Jr. as the axe wielding killer. Oberst is on track to complete 12 horror films this year, now that's some heavy lifting!
Check out all the details below and don't miss Ditch Day Massacre when it releases.
From The Press Release:
(With 12 Flicks In One Year, Is This The Hardest Working Man In Horror?)
A new teaser vid for the film Ditch has posted and the movie's lead actor is slicing his way through more than half-naked nubile bodies: Bill Oberst Jr. is swinging for the title of Hardest Working Man In Horror.
Oberst is on track to complete roles in 12 independent horror/thriller movies by year's end. The Los Angeles-based actor has just arrived in the woods of Kentucky to start...
- 6/1/2013
- by admin
- MoreHorror
I hope you have been following the series of interviews with filmmaker and cast of the Civil War-set drama The Retrieval, which premiered to much acclaim at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. If you’re just catching up, make sure you read my review of the film Here, interview with writer/director Chris Eska Here and our interview with SXSW Jury Award winner for best actor, Tishuan Scott, Here. Young newcomer Ashton Sanders delivers another amazing performance as Will, a 13 year-old boy sent by a gang of bounty hunters along with his cousin Marcus to capture a fugitive ex-slave. His character is at the very center of the narrative. A guilt-ridden Will is in the dilemma of turning in a man...
- 4/22/2013
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
Prior to his starring turn in Chris Eska’s acclaimed sophomore effort The Retrieval, Tishuan Scott had starred in several short films, along with a supporting role in the 2012 based-on-a-true-story film Alcatraz Prison Escape: Deathbed Confession. Scott, who received an M.F.A in acting from UCLA, can also be seen in the upcoming films Computer Chess, Symphony of the Universe and Cry of the Butterfly. He is also funding, via Indiegogo, his short film Aristotle, The Apostle, in which Scott hopes to educate the public about recycling and the preservation of animal life (click on This campaign link for more info). In the Civil War-set, quietly searing drama The Retrieval, which premiered...
- 4/15/2013
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
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