Clockwise from top left: Poor Things (Searchlight Pictures), The Zone Of Interest (A24), Napoleon (Apple TV+), Barbie (Warner Bros.), Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)Graphic: The A.V. Club
The final stretch of awards season is here, so how many of the Oscar-nominated films have you seen? If the answer is “not enough,...
The final stretch of awards season is here, so how many of the Oscar-nominated films have you seen? If the answer is “not enough,...
- 1/24/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Molly Gordon and Ben Platt in Theater Camp.Photo: Searchlight Pictures
We’ve got one week before Barbenheimer arrives to suck up all the oxygen in the room and all the spare theaters at the multiplex. So, in this calm before the pop-culture storm, let’s talk about a smaller...
We’ve got one week before Barbenheimer arrives to suck up all the oxygen in the room and all the spare theaters at the multiplex. So, in this calm before the pop-culture storm, let’s talk about a smaller...
- 7/14/2023
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Jason Momoa has made a name for himself on both the small screen and the big, in projects like “Stargate: Atlantis,” “Game of Thrones” and ”Conan the Barbarian” — mostly via his brooding physicality. “Road to Paloma,” though, finds the actor branching out, by degrees. Co-written with Robert Homer Mollohan, Momoa’s dusty, Southwestern-set directorial debut is a road movie/crime flick/wanderlust mash-up, centering on Wolf (Momoa), a Native American biker who finds himself living on the lam after avenging his mother’s rape and murder. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Momoa one-on-one, about how he enjoyed juggled duties behind and in front of the camera, filming a sex scene [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Jason Momoa Talks Road to Paloma, Aquaman appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Jason Momoa Talks Road to Paloma, Aquaman appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 7/24/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Given its fairly reliable audience base, the horror genre affords burgeoning filmmakers the chance to showcase their skills in inventive fashion, which the fresh, technically accomplished “Afflicted” surely does. A shared effort in just about every way between writer-director-actors Clif Prowse and Derek Lee, the movie — a Toronto Film Festival selection and a smash hit at Fantastic Fest last year — chronicles an international video travelogue gone wrong, when one of the pair has an encounter with a mysterious Parisian woman and succumbs to an illness that includes all sorts of uncomfortable transformations. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Prowse and Lee one-on-two, about trading on [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Clif Prowse and Derek Lee Talk Afflicted, Indie Genre Filmmaking appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Clif Prowse and Derek Lee Talk Afflicted, Indie Genre Filmmaking appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/30/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Genre filmmaking is often a more welcoming playground to fresh new talent than more conventional drama, and, arguably next to horror, science-fiction allows filmmakers the opportunity to leave their stamp on tone and visual schemes unlike almost any other narrative category. With the striking, stirring “The Signal,” director Will Eubank certainly does that. Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Eubank one-on-one for ShockYa, about his sophomore film, his myriad influences and debuting his movie at the Sundance Film Festival. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: “The Signal” is very experiential. Can you speak some to your pre-production process, because I feel like you had to have made [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Will Eubank Talks The Signal appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Will Eubank Talks The Signal appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/8/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Three MIT college students on a road trip across the Southwest — Jonah (Beau Knapp) and fraying couple Nic (Brenton Thwaites) and Haley (Olivia Cooke) — take a detour to try to track down a hacker who’s been messing with them for months. Things go sideways, leaving the early-twentysomethings in a strange waking nightmare involving continued interrogations from Dr. Wallace Damon (Laurence Fishburne). That’s the moody mystery at the center of director Will Eubank’s genre-bending “The Signal,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Brent Simon had a chance to speak to Knapp one-on-one for ShockYa earlier this week, about the movie, his entrée into acting and what [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Beau Knapp Talks The Signal appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Beau Knapp Talks The Signal appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/5/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Swedish-born poet and novelist Lukas Moodysson made a splash with his film debut, “Show Me Love,” in 1998, and has since then delivered a number of controversial and experimental films. His latest movie, the adventurous romp “We Are the Best!,” is a return to the more optimistic and loose-limbed vibe of his early work. Set in 1982 Stockholm, the film centers on two tomboyish tweens, Boba (Mira Barkhammar) and Klara (Mira Grosin), who impulsively decide to start a punk band, and recruit a classmate who can actually play an instrument, Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne), to help give their endeavor some shape. Recently, for ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance to speak to Moodysson one-on-one, about [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Lukas Moodysson Talks We Are the Best! appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Lukas Moodysson Talks We Are the Best! appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/5/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
For his third film, writer-director Joel Hopkins (“Last Chance Harvey”) re-teamed with Emma Thompson, casting her opposite Pierce Brosnan as one half of a divorced couple who reunite after the financial future of their retirement years is thrown into uncertainty by an unscrupulous French businessman. A screwball-tinged heist flick that not so much feeds “eat the rich” feelings which might be surging in the zeitgeist at the moment as offer up a divergent, flight-of-fancy caper for the middle-aged, ”The Love Punch” plays out like a reimagining of “The Parent Trap” by way of “Ocean’s Eleven,” and minus the kids. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak one-on-one with Hopkins [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Joel Hopkins Talks The Love Punch, Collaborations With Emma Thompson appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Joel Hopkins Talks The Love Punch, Collaborations With Emma Thompson appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 5/29/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Australian-born director Fred Schepisi has a varied filmography, spanning ”Roxanne,” “Six Degrees of Separation” and “Fierce Creatures,” among other credits, but one of the steadiest through-lines in his work is a keen grasp of human imperfection. It’s interwoven into his latest effort as well, “Words and Pictures,” which stars Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche as New England prep school teachers — he’s a rakish if blocked writer and functional alcoholic, she’s a prickly abstract painter stricken with rheumatoid arthritis — at odds over which mode of expression can convey greater meaning. For ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance to speak to Schepisi one-on-one this week, about his movie, language, the educational inspiration he [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Fred Schepisi Talks Words and Pictures, Next Projects appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Fred Schepisi Talks Words and Pictures, Next Projects appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 5/29/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In Molly Green and James Leffler’s “Forev,” a comedic ode to the decidedly poor decision-making skills of twentysomethings, Sophie (“Saturday Night Live”‘s Noël Wells) impulsively accepts the marriage proposal of her apartment neighbor, Los Angeles tech support jockey Pete (Matt Mider), and the pair then promptly head off on a six-hour drive to pick up Pete’s sister Jess (Amanda Bauer) from college. Drinking and musing ensues, and when Jess, fresh off a break-up, indulges in a one-night stand, things get weird for all. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Mider, about the film, honing his improvisational skills, his favorite mock-curse word and making out with 60-year-olds in commercial [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Matt Mider Talks Forev, Awkward Commercial Auditions appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Matt Mider Talks Forev, Awkward Commercial Auditions appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 5/14/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Director Zack Parker has a knack for marrying unnerving incident to shifty, hard-to-pin-down characters. His latest film, the psychological thriller “Proxy,” could sort of be described as a sociopathic lesbian love triangle… and yet it’s more than that, even. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Parker one-on-one, about his movie, what sort of storytelling excites and drives him, making movies in his native Indiana, being a stay-at-home dad and how the California Raisins helped lead him to where he is today. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: Like “Scalene,” your previous film, it feels like “Proxy” is very invested in exploring shifting audience sympathies. Not at all in [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Zack Parker Talks Proxy, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Zack Parker Talks Proxy, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/18/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
He’s not yet 40, but director David Gordon Green has successfully juggled an interesting collection of studio comedies like “Pineapple Express,” “The Sitter” and “Your Highness” with more esoteric and independent fare like “All the Real Girls” and “Prince Avalanche.” His 10th feature film, “Joe,” is an adaptation of Larry Brown’s novel of the same name, and stars 17-year-old Tye Sheridan as Gary Jones, an impressionable kid who, desperate for some adult guidance and attention, kinds an unlikely mentor in the form of Nicolas Cage’s ex-con title character. Brent Simon, for ShockYa, recently had a chance to speak to Green one-on-one, about the film, casting and working with non-professional actors, the keys to [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director David Gordon Green Talks Joe, Terrence Malick Impressions appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director David Gordon Green Talks Joe, Terrence Malick Impressions appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/12/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Seventeen-year-old Tye Sheridan made his acting debut in Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life,” playing one of Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain’s sons in 1950s Texas. The next year, he co-starred opposite Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon in Jeff Nichols’ “Mud.” Now, in David Gordon Green’s “Joe,” adapted from a novel by Larry Brown, Sheridan adds another acting heavyweight to his roster of co-stars, starring opposite Nicolas Cage’s title character as Gary Jones, an eager-to-work kid looking for roots not provided by his itinerant family and alcoholic father (Gary Poulter). For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Texas native Sheridan one-on-one, about his movie, the key [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Tye Sheridan Talks Joe, Terrence Malick Impressions and Tony Romo appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Tye Sheridan Talks Joe, Terrence Malick Impressions and Tony Romo appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/10/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Writer-director Eliza Hittman’s striking debut film, “It Felt Like Love,” tells the story of 14-year-old Lila (Gina Piersanti), an awkward Brooklyn girl who falls into emulating the sexual exploits of her more experienced best friend (Giovanna Salimeni), with mounting peril. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Hittman one-on-one, about her debut feature film, non-traditional casting, adolescent sexual deceit and gamesmanship, and more. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: At the risk of this momentarily sounding terrible, I have a huge native interest in kids coming online libidinally at different times within their peer set, because you don’t see that addressed in a lot of films. You [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Eliza Hittman Talks It Felt Like Love appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Eliza Hittman Talks It Felt Like Love appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/10/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
A Tony- and Oscar-nominated actress, Amy Ryan has played tough, tender, damagingly self-involved and everything in between. In real life, though, her persona runs closer to Holly Flax, the lovably good-natured if somewhat dorky romantic interest to Steve Carell’s Michael Scott on “The Office.” Ryan is self-effacing and peppers a conversation with laughter, but also all sorts of jokey tangential asides. In her latest film, writer-director Drake Doremus’ “Breathe In,” she plays Megan Reynolds, the wife of frustrated music instructor Keith (Guy Pearce), the latter of whom develops a slow crush on Sophie (Felicity Jones), an exchange student the couple takes into their upstate New York home. Brent Simon recently had a chance to [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Amy Ryan Talks Breathe In, Birdman appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Amy Ryan Talks Breathe In, Birdman appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/7/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
The title “Happy Camp” conjures feelings of a comedy — either an ironically named satire, or perhaps some “Pitch Perfect”-type summer-getaway ensemble where “Glee” fans labor to upstage one another against a competitive backdrop. In actuality, though, the found-footage-framed psychological horror film takes its name from the (real-life) small town, nestled just up against the California-Oregon border, that lends it its setting. Twenty years after his step brother went missing, in a mountainous region rife with missing persons cases, a still-frazzled guy (Michael Barbuto) returns with some filmmaker friends, looking for answers. For ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance yesterday to speak to multi-hyphenate collaborators Josh Anthony and Anne Taylor one-on-one (well, one-on-two), [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Josh Anthony, Anne Taylor Talk Happy Camp appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Josh Anthony, Anne Taylor Talk Happy Camp appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/26/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Directed by Gary Fleder and penned by none other than Sylvester Stallone, “Homefront” stars Jason Statham as Phil Broker, a widowed ex-dea agent whose past with a meth-running motorcycle gang comes back to haunt him. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Fleder one-on-one, about the movie (whose source material Stallone originally thought about using as a “Rambo” sequel), the advantages of location scouting with Google Earth and his affinity for dabbling in small screen work as well. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: It’s a lot easier for me to connect the dots to Jason Statham on this movie. How did the project first come your [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Gary Fleder Talks Homefront appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Gary Fleder Talks Homefront appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/12/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In the inventive low-budget horror thriller “The Den,” Canadian-born actress Melanie Papalia plays Elizabeth Benton, a graduate student who undertakes a study on the eponymous video-chat site, and witnesses a gruesome murder via webcam. Others dismiss it as a viral prank, but Elizabeth isn’t so sure, and finds herself trapped in a twisted game in which she and her loved ones are targeted for the same grisly fate. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak with Papalia one-on-one, about the film, bad Skype connections, ChatRoulette nudity, Uwe Boll, and how John Travolta would pronounce her name at the Oscars. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: You were in another movie centering [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Melanie Papalia Talks The Den, Uwe Boll, Web Chat Nudity appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Melanie Papalia Talks The Den, Uwe Boll, Web Chat Nudity appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/10/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Exclusive: Fox‘s animated brand is built on family comedies with stalwarts The Simpsons and Family Guy. Now the network is eyeing a new addition in Dark Lord Of Delaware, an animated comedy from Alan Schoolcraft & Brent Simon, writers of DreamWorks Animation’s Megamind, and former Fox head of comedy-turned-producer Marcus Wiley. The project, now in development, centers on Zarbus, a man who must deal with the conflicting emotions of being a stay at home dad after losing his job. The situation is made all the more challenging by the fact his previous position was that of a Voldemort-like evil sorcerer who once ruled over a magical kingdom. Now banished to our world, he must navigate the social minefield of suburbia while keeping his omnipotent powers in check. Schoolcraft and Simon are writing the script and are executive producing with Wiley who brought the project to Fox through his first-look deal with the network.
- 2/19/2014
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Zombies have, over the last several years, been spun off into all sorts of big screen scenarios and situations. In director Joe Dante’s “Burying the Ex,” however, Max (Anton Yelchin) discovers that if there’s anything worse than a zombie, it might just be your ex-girlfriend as a zombie — in his case, the still-clingy Evelyn (Ashley Greene). For ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance to visit the independent production’s Los Angeles set in December, as it was winding down principal photography, to observe a day’s shooting and chat with some of the cast and crew. His conversation with erstwhile “Twilight” costar Greene, about the peculiar delights and challenges of playing a scorned female [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Ashley Greene Talks Burying the Ex on Set Visit appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Ashley Greene Talks Burying the Ex on Set Visit appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 2/10/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In actress-turned-director Maggie Kiley’s engaging feature debut, “Brightest Star,” New Zealand native Rose McIver plays Charlotte, one of two young women that Chris Lowell’s recent college graduate has a relationship with as they all attempt to navigate their early twenties. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to McIver one-on-one and in person, about the movie, Los Angeles, accents and ambition. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: I know the film has its roots in a short film, “Some Boys Don’t Leave,” that Maggie did. Did she talk a lot about that, and/or encourage the actors to use it as a resource? Rose McIver: I think Chris and I both watched it before we [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Rose McIver Talks Brightest Star, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Rose McIver Talks Brightest Star, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 2/6/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Actor Chris Lowell has an expansive list of small screen credits, including “Life As We Know It,” “Private Practice” and the role for which many people still most remember him — Stosh “Piz” Piznarski on the CW’s “Veronica Mars,” a role he’ll reprise later this spring in the big screen spin-off. He also has a starring role in a new movie in theaters now: Maggie Kiley’s striking “Brightest Star,” about a young man’s post-college romantic and occupational wanderings. For ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance to talk to Lowell one-on-one and in person last week, about “Brightest Star,” twentysomething ennui and what he thinks of how the “Veronica Mars” movie came to [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Chris Lowell Talks Brightest Star, Veronica Mars Movie appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Chris Lowell Talks Brightest Star, Veronica Mars Movie appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 2/4/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In director Joe Dante’s “Burying the Ex,” Anton Yelchin stars as Max, a twentysomething caught between trying to fully extricate himself from one relationship that has run its course, with the clingy and possessive Evelyn (Ashley Greene), and find stability and success in his relationship with new girlfriend Olivia (Alexandra Daddario). That sounds like a familiar scenario, both on screen and in real life. The twist, though? Evelyn has died and become reanimated as a zombie, which she merely takes as a sign that her love for Max is a star-crossed-and-forever type of thing. Prior to it wrapping up principal photography just before Christmas, Brent Simon had a chance to [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Anton Yelchin Talks on the Set of Burying the Ex appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Anton Yelchin Talks on the Set of Burying the Ex appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/19/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In “The Invisible Woman,” adapted from a novel by Claire Tomalin, actor-director Ralph Fiennes tackles the salacious tale of noted British author Charles Dickens, and his affair with Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones), an actress much younger than his wife Catherine (Joanna Scanlan). Recently, for ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance to attend the film’s Los Angeles press day, and chat with Fiennes about pulling double duty in front of and behind the camera, as well as what he characterizes as Dickens’ “slightly sociopathological streak.” The conversation is excerpted below: Question: Charles Dickens, particularly within this story, seems like such a meaty role. Is it true you approached playing the part with [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Ralph Fiennes Talks The Invisible Woman, Juggling Acting and Directing appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Ralph Fiennes Talks The Invisible Woman, Juggling Acting and Directing appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/14/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In the new period piece drama “The Invisible Woman,” Felicity Jones plays a familiar role — the mistress – but with a most unusual and high-profile twist: her Nelly Ternan, now a happily married mother and school teacher, is still haunted by memories of her affair with noted British author Charles Dickens (Ralph Fiennes, also directing). Recently, for ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance to sit down in roundtable interviews with the film’s stars at the Los Angeles press day, to discuss their characters and the film. The conversation with Jones is excerpted below: Question: What struck you most about the character of Nelly? Felicity Jones: I like Nelly’s quiet inner strength. I thought there was something [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Felicity Jones Talks The Invisible Woman, Lena Dunham and Future Projects appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Felicity Jones Talks The Invisible Woman, Lena Dunham and Future Projects appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/12/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In “Burying the Ex,” Evelyn (Ashley Greene) is not quite ready to let go of her ex-boyfriend Max (Anton Yelchin), and accept his new relationship. This is frustrating for Max. Oh, and matters are additionally complicated by the fact that she’s a newly minted zombie — which of course makes her a formidable romantic foil for Max’s new girlfriend Olivia (Alexandra Daddario). For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to visit the Los Angeles set of director Joe Dante’s film, as it was winding down principal photography just before Christmas. There, Simon had a chance to observe shooting and chat with the cast and crew. His conversation with screenwriter [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Screenwriter Alan Trezza Talks Burying the Ex, Joe Dante, Zombies appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Screenwriter Alan Trezza Talks Burying the Ex, Joe Dante, Zombies appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/4/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Tales of infidelity make for easy drama on a quite general level, but when one of the parties involved is a huge celebrity, it tends to amplify the intrigue. Such is the case with “The Invisible Woman,” multi-hyphenate Ralph Fiennes’ second directorial effort, and the story of author Charles Dickens and his mistress, Ellen “Nelly” Ternan (Felicity Jones). Adapted from a meticulously researched 1991 book by Claire Tomalin, the film chronicles Dickens’ willful dissolution of his marriage to wife Catherine (Joanna Scanlan), the mother of his 10 children, even in the face of the impossibility of a public relationship with Nelly. For ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance recently to [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Joanna Scanlan Talks The Invisible Woman appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Joanna Scanlan Talks The Invisible Woman appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/30/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Writer and director Richard Schenkman has had a varied career, encompassing romantic comedies, science-fiction and, more recently, a number of horror movies. His latest film is “Mischief Night,” a home invasion thriller in which teenager Emily (Noell Coet), still suffering from psychosomatic blindness brought about by a traumatic car accident that claimed her mother’s life nine years earlier, finds herself home alone and terrorized by a masked stranger (or perhaps more) on the night before Halloween. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to talk to Schenkman one-on-one, about his movie, what he loves and hates about the casting process, the state of independent filmmaking, and the script he [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Richard Schenkman Talks Mischief Night, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Richard Schenkman Talks Mischief Night, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/13/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Actors, even quite successful working ones with deep filmographies littered with big-budget fare, can labor in relative obscurity for years, before just the right role gives them the chance to “pop.” Such is the case with Oscar Isaac’s superb, anchoring performance as the title character in Joel and Ethan Coen’s sardonically funny “Inside Llewyn Davis,” about a week in the life of a struggling folk singer in 1960s New York City, and the slow fade of his despair into outright resignation. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to talk to Oscar Isaac at the film’s Los Angeles press day, about his breakout role, preparing for the movie’s live musical sequences and working [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Oscar Isaac Talks Inside Llewyn Davis appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Oscar Isaac Talks Inside Llewyn Davis appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/6/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Miranda Otto has co-starred in huge, international blockbusters (“The Lord of the Rings,” “War of the Worlds”), but retains an easygoing charm — and, indeed, even a pinch of anonymity. That latter quality served her well when it came time for Brazilian filmmaker Bruno Barreto to cast the starring role in “Reaching for the Moon,” a smart, well-ordered period piece drama about American poet Elizabeth Bishop’s tempestuous lesbian relationship with Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares (Glória Pires). For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak one-on-one and in person with Otto, about the film, Bishop’s ingrained pessimism and the perils of playing drunk. The conversation is excerpted [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Miranda Otto Talks Reaching for the Moon appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Miranda Otto Talks Reaching for the Moon appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/27/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Brazilian-born, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Bruno Barreto has over the course of his career tackled everything from political thrillers to comedies and social dramas, but for his 19th feature film he had to look no further than his mother, who supplied the source material for “Reaching for the Moon,” and serves as one of its producers. Inspired by a nonfiction book by Carmen Lucia de Oliveira, the movie centers on American poet Elizabeth Bishop (Miranda Otto) and her tempestuous lesbian relationship throughout the 1950s with Brazilian Lota de Macedo Soares (Glória Pires), a renowned architect in her own right. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak one-on-one with [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Bruno Barreto Talks Reaching For the Moon, and Listening To His Mother appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Bruno Barreto Talks Reaching For the Moon, and Listening To His Mother appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/27/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
John Sayles has written and directed 18 films, almost all studded with some measure of political, social or class consciousness. Actor and activist Edward James Olmos, meanwhile, has appeared in dozens of independent productions of his own, a good number with the same sort of thematic interests. “Go For Sisters,” however, represents their first collaboration. In the movie, Olmos plays Freddy Suarez, a disgraced former Los Angeles police detective who assists two women (Lisa Gay Hamilton and Yolanda Ross), childhood friends whose lives diverged almost two decades earlier, in the search for the missing son of one of the ladies. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Olmos [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Edward James Olmos Talks Go For Sisters appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Edward James Olmos Talks Go For Sisters appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 11/14/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Kelen Coleman is a busy lady. In addition to guest starring and recurring roles on a variety of buzz-worthy small screen shows — “The Mindy Project,” “Hart of Dixie” and, perhaps most notably, HBO’s “The Newsroom” — she also has a new movie hitting theaters this week. In the supernaturally-tinged horror film “Cassadaga,” Coleman stars as Lily, a post-lingually deaf artist who, in trying to attain closure with her recently deceased younger sister, accidentally summons forth the vengeful ghost of a murdered woman. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to talk to Coleman one-on-one about the movie, her college years at Unc-Chapel Hill, her budding career and what [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Kelen Coleman Talks Cassadaga, Ponders Power Couple With Kellan Lutz appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Kelen Coleman Talks Cassadaga, Ponders Power Couple With Kellan Lutz appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 10/8/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
She’s only just recently 24 years old, but since 2006 Juno Temple has appeared in more than two dozen films, from independent fare like “Cracks,” “Greenberg,” “Dirty Girl” and “Killer Joe” to studio offerings like “The Other Boleyn Girl,” “Year One” and “The Three Musketeers.” In her latest movie, writer-director Jill Soloway’s tart, Silver Lake-set dramedy “Afternoon Delight,” Temple plays McKenna, a stripper and escort who is befriended by an emotionally wayward, stay-at-home suburban mother, Rachel (Kathryn Hahn), with considerable consequences. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Temple one-on-one and in person, about the movie, learning erotic dance, how she feels about auditions, and her [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Juno Temple Talks Afternoon Delight, Erotic Dancing, Maleficent appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Juno Temple Talks Afternoon Delight, Erotic Dancing, Maleficent appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/18/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
From their groundbreaking MTV show “The State” to Comedy Central’s “Reno! 911,” movies in which they’ve acted, and a whole slate of films on which they’ve served as screenwriters, Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant have kept things fresh… and often plenty weird. Their newest effort, in which they co-star, represents their feature film tandem directorial debut. A zany, ramshackle comedy about a married-and-pregnant couple (Rob Corddry and Leslie Bibb) who are forced to enlist the help of the Vatican’s elite exorcism team (Garant and Lennon) after they move into a haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans, “Hell Baby” offers up an assortment of lunacy, nudity and gross-out humor. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant Talk Hell Baby, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant Talk Hell Baby, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/14/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
A much buzzed-about premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Hannah Fidell’s directorial debut, “A Teacher,” details the slipping-knot sanity of a young Texas high school instructor, Diana (Lindsay Burdge), as an illicit affair with one of her students, Eric (Will Brittain), runs its course, from white-hot and secret to its inevitable messy conclusion. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to talk to Fidell and her two stars in person, about the movie’s themes and production, inappropriate crushes, and the film’s as-yet-unrealized viral PR opportunity. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: “A Teacher” unfolds in a more or less naturalistic manner, but it also seems to have a [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Hannah Fidell, Lindsay Burdge and Will Brittain Talk A Teacher appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Hannah Fidell, Lindsay Burdge and Will Brittain Talk A Teacher appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/9/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In “Afternoon Delight,” when a well-off, thirtysomething Los Angeles mother, Rachel (Kathryn Hahn), visits a strip club to try to spice up her marriage and ends up getting a private dance from McKenna (Juno Temple), an unlikely friendship is born, setting in motion waves of colorful and unexpected change. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to talk to writer-director Jill Soloway (“The United States of Tara”) about her feature film debut, the state of indie film, and notions of “the divided feminine.” The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: I had the good fortune of seeing “Afternoon Delight” at a screening after which you did a Q&A, and among [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Jill Soloway Talks Afternoon Delight appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Jill Soloway Talks Afternoon Delight appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/6/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In her latest film, a sexy mystery of slipped-knot, unraveling sanity entitled “The Stranger Within,” Estella Warren plays an acclaimed actress, Emily Moore, who repairs to a remote Mediterranean island with her psychiatrist husband Robert (William Baldwin) following a traumatic incident. When a mysterious young woman (Sarah Butler) who claims to have just survived a terrible hiking accident with her boyfriend shows up, however, it makes Emily wonder if she might be a threat to her marriage, and indeed her life. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Warren, about the film, social media, amazing pool tricks (though not the kind you’re likely thinking of), cooking [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Estella Warren Talks The Stranger Within, Cooking, Amazing Pool Tricks appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Estella Warren Talks The Stranger Within, Cooking, Amazing Pool Tricks appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/3/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
One could be forgiven for wondering if Rob Corddry has cracked the code to human cloning. After all, in addition to continuing work on the award-winning “Children’s Hospital,” Corddry has appeared in six films this year. The latest is Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant’s horror comedy “Hell Baby,” in which Corddry stars (among others) with Leslie Bibb, playing half of a married-and-pregnant couple who move into a haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans. On the eve of the film’s Los Angeles premiere, Brent Simon had a chance to sit down and talk to Corddry for ShockYa, about Po Boys, improvisation, the future of comedy and, quite literally, the blood he [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Rod Corddry Talks Hell Baby, Improvisation, Bloodshed and More appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Rod Corddry Talks Hell Baby, Improvisation, Bloodshed and More appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/28/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Filmmaker David Gordon Green has alternated between independent and studio fare with remarkable facility, but equally impressive to that fact has been the difference in styles and genres he has explored. Coming on the heels of 2011′s “Your Highness” and “The Sitter,” his latest film marks a return to more ruminative waters. A loose adaptation of a recent Icelandic movie, the 1988-set “Prince Avalanche,” stars Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch as a pair of bickering men painting highway road stripes through a desolate Texas countryside that’s been recently ravaged by fire. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently attended a press day where he had a chance to sit down with Green, [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Director David Gordon Green Talks Prince Avalanche appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Director David Gordon Green Talks Prince Avalanche appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/13/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In writer-director Chad Crawford Kinkle’s moody horror drama “Jug Face,” Lauren Ashley Carter plays Ada, a pregnant, panicked teenager who tries to escape her backwoods community when she realizes she may be the latest person to be sacrificed to a mysterious pit that the townsfolk believe has healing powers. In real life, though, Carter is a young New York City actress paying her dues and just starting out in her career climb, which means there are still commercial auditions for a feminine hygiene product superhero (more on that later). For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to talk to Carter one-on-one, about “Jug Face,” horror movies, stage fright, auditioning [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Lauren Ashley Carter Talks Jug Face appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Lauren Ashley Carter Talks Jug Face appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/10/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
In the new, forthrightly titled, across-the-pond horror comedy import “Cockneys vs. Zombies,” director Matthias Hoene puts a wild, commingled spin on East-Enders cinema, mixing it up with the oeuvres of Edgar Wright, Guy Ritchie, Sam Raimi and more. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Hoene one-on-one, about his work as a commercial director, moustaches, his film’s violent content and his next project, “Capsule,” which is set up at 20th Century Fox and likely to start shooting next year. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: Tell me about your background in commercials, and do you think that’s been a plus for you, experience-wise? Matthias Hoene: Directing is such [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Matthias Hoene Talks Cockneys vs. Zombies appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Matthias Hoene Talks Cockneys vs. Zombies appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/2/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Along with rabble-rouser Lars von Trier, Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg was at the forefront of the influential Dogme 95 movement, an austere cinematic experiment which eschewed not only special effects and technology, but also a lot of other modern conventions. Since then he’s branched out and made different types of movies; his latest is the well received “The Hunt,” starring Mads Mikkelsen as a day care teacher wrongly accused of child sexual abuse. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Vinterberg one-on-one, about his hippie commune upbringing, his new film and its in-competition premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, what he now thinks about Dogme [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Thomas Vinterberg Talks The Hunt, Dogme 95, Next Film appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Thomas Vinterberg Talks The Hunt, Dogme 95, Next Film appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 7/16/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
At the heart of a lot of John Hughes’ most popular movies from the 1980s, there was, broadly speaking, tension between an uptight geek and a jock or more extroverted guy. Jacob Zachar (“Greek”) and Jayson Blair (“The New Normal”) occupy those roles in Alex Craig Mann’s directorial debut, “Detention of the Dead.” Oh… except the movie also features zombies, in addition to a handful of other at-odds high school archetypes. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to the actors in person, about their experience making the movie, Blair’s most awkward audition experience, and more. Their conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: I was surprised to learn [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Jacob Zachar and Jayson Blair Talk Detention of the Dead, Awkward Auditions appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Jacob Zachar and Jayson Blair Talk Detention of the Dead, Awkward Auditions appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/29/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Sarah Wright has made an impression in “The Loop,” “The House Bunny,” “Mad Love” and “Parks and Recreation,” the latter in a small recurring role as Millicent Gergich. In “21 & Over,” a comedy from the writers of “The Hangover” releasing to home video on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack this week, she plays Nicole, a college co-ed who serves as the object of affection for one of a trio of randy partiers. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to chat with Wright one-on-one, about the movie, basketball, whether females really talk about masturbation, and more. The conversation is excerpted below: ShockYa: Your character, Nicole, doesn’t participate in beer pong [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Sarah Wright Talks 21 & Over, Beer Games, “Flicking the Bean” and More appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Sarah Wright Talks 21 & Over, Beer Games, “Flicking the Bean” and More appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 6/19/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
The winner of Best Narrative Feature at last year’s SXSW Festival, writer-director Adam Leon’s “Gimme the Loot” takes a premise seemingly made for dark twists and turns – over the course of two summer days a pair of Bronx graffiti artist teenagers, Malcolm and Sofia, try to hustle, scrape together and possibly steal $500 to pull off a big stunt that will humiliate their rivals and cement their tagger status — and turns it into a keenly observed, vibrant, livewire work coursing with adolescent energy. As a result, the young director has been rewarded with attention as one of the top up-and-coming filmmakers of the under-30 set. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Director Adam Leon Talks Gimme the Loot appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Director Adam Leon Talks Gimme the Loot appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/14/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Liam Aiken made his screen debut playing Parker Posey’s son at age seven in 1997′s “Henry Fool,” and then kept working as a kid, in movies like “Stepmom,” “Sweet November,” “Road to Perdition” and “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.” Transitioning to young adulthood, he’s dabbled in music, but kept working in movies, like Michael Winterbottom’s “The Killer Inside Me.” His latest film is writer-director Austin Chick’s “Girls Against Boys,” in which Aiken portrays Tyler, a guileless college student whose burgeoning relationship with the troubled Shae (Danielle Panabaker) upsets the balance of the latter’s relationship with the even more troubled Lu (Nicole Laliberte). For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Aiken one-on-one, [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Liam Aiken Talks Girls Against Boys, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Liam Aiken Talks Girls Against Boys, More appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 2/2/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
French-born filmmaker Quentin Dupiex elicited quite a stir in 2010 with his low-budget “Rubber,” an absurdist horror comedy about a psychokinetic tire that roams the dusty American Southwest, exploding the heads of those who get in its way. His new film, “Wrong,” centers on a depressed suburban man (Jack Plotnick) who awakens one morning to find out that he’s lost the love of his life, his dog. His journey to find him quickly spirals into a surrealistic trek populated with bizarro characters. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak with Dupieux one-on-one, about the films he devoured growing up as a kid, “Wrong,” and the spin-off it inspired, [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Rubber Director Quentin Dupieux Talks New Film Wrong appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Rubber Director Quentin Dupieux Talks New Film Wrong appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 2/2/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Certain second-generation actors or celebrities have a breezy charm and a well-grounded self-awareness about the benefits and drawbacks of show business life, while others wear bequeathed crowns of entitlement that can come across as unattractive. Zelda Williams, the 23-year-old daughter of Robin Williams and Marsha Garces, is just finding her way professionally, but already exhibits plenty of signs of the former. One of the highlights of the new road trip/videogame competition movie “Noobz,” Williams co-stars opposite writer-director Blake Freeman, among others, playing an enchanting but wisecracking gamer who’s the romantic interest of Jason Mewes’ character. For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to chat with Williams one-on-one, about the movie, her unique name, [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Zelda Williams Talks Noobz, Videogames, Her Famous Father appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Zelda Williams Talks Noobz, Videogames, Her Famous Father appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/30/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Danielle Panabaker is no stranger to big-screen gnarliness, having co-starred in horror fare like “Friday the 13th,” “The Ward,” ”The Crazies” and even “Piranha 3Dd,” in all its goofy, gory glory. In her new film, though, writer-director Austin Chick’s “Girls Against Boys,” Panabaker is on several occasions the one wielding weapons rather than being terrorized. She stars as Shae, a naïve college student who, after getting dumped by her married older lover (Andrew Howard) and victimized by a scuzzy guy (Michael Stahl-David) she meets on the rebound at a party, gets drawn into a twisted plan for revenge by her coworker Lu (Nicole Laliberte). Together, the two embark upon a gruesome killing spree. For ShockYa, Brent Simon had a chance to speak [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Danielle Panabaker On Girls Against Boys, and Why She’s Done With Captain Crunch appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Danielle Panabaker On Girls Against Boys, and Why She’s Done With Captain Crunch appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/30/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
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