A simple listing, duplicated from the dvd + vod UK and Ireland page, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Daily Digest emails (sign up here).
new dvd+vod Get Out Personal Shopper Beauty and the Beast Spaceship I’m planning to watch… Frantz Neruda A Silent Voice
2017’s films, ranked by maryann (subscribers only until the end of the year)
get all reviews since 1997 here
recent releases Aquarius Certain Women Chasing Asylum Denial Fences Finding Altamira Finding Kim The Founder The Great Wall Hacksaw Ridge Hidden Figures I Am Not Your Negro John Wick 2 Kong: Skull Island The Lego Batman Movie Letters from Baghdad Logan Loving Moonlight Prevenge The Salesman Toni Erdmann T2 Trainspotting 20th Century Women We Are X Elle Gold Patriots Day Spaceship Aftermath The Autopsy of Jane Doe A Cure for Wellness...
new dvd+vod Get Out Personal Shopper Beauty and the Beast Spaceship I’m planning to watch… Frantz Neruda A Silent Voice
2017’s films, ranked by maryann (subscribers only until the end of the year)
get all reviews since 1997 here
recent releases Aquarius Certain Women Chasing Asylum Denial Fences Finding Altamira Finding Kim The Founder The Great Wall Hacksaw Ridge Hidden Figures I Am Not Your Negro John Wick 2 Kong: Skull Island The Lego Batman Movie Letters from Baghdad Logan Loving Moonlight Prevenge The Salesman Toni Erdmann T2 Trainspotting 20th Century Women We Are X Elle Gold Patriots Day Spaceship Aftermath The Autopsy of Jane Doe A Cure for Wellness...
- 7/11/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
04.27.17: This list is now final. While I may in the future see additional films that were released in the awards year of 2016, no more films will be added to this list. (I may add links to reviews of films listed here.)
This ranking includes only new theatrical releases viewed for the awards year of 2016 (for eligibility for the Academy Awards and the Ofcs and Awfj awards); some films released in the UK without Us releases (and so ineligible for those awards this year) may also be included, for my own bookkeeping purposes. Links go to my review. Numbers after each entry are Date First Viewed/NYC Release Date/London Release Date; year is 2016 unless otherwise noted.
worth paying multiplex prices for
[5 stars]
Arrival (10.10/11.11/11.10)
La La Land (10.07/12.09/01.13.17)
A Monster Calls (10.06/12.23/01.01.17)
The Lobster (07.16.15/05.13/10.16.15)
Zootropolis (aka Zootopia) (02.22/03.04/03.25)
A Bigger Splash (10.08.15/05.04/02.12)
Miss Sloane (11.20/11.25/05.12.17)
London Road (06.03.15/09.09/06.12.15)
The Girl with All the Gifts (07.26/02.24.17/09.23)
I, Daniel Blake...
This ranking includes only new theatrical releases viewed for the awards year of 2016 (for eligibility for the Academy Awards and the Ofcs and Awfj awards); some films released in the UK without Us releases (and so ineligible for those awards this year) may also be included, for my own bookkeeping purposes. Links go to my review. Numbers after each entry are Date First Viewed/NYC Release Date/London Release Date; year is 2016 unless otherwise noted.
worth paying multiplex prices for
[5 stars]
Arrival (10.10/11.11/11.10)
La La Land (10.07/12.09/01.13.17)
A Monster Calls (10.06/12.23/01.01.17)
The Lobster (07.16.15/05.13/10.16.15)
Zootropolis (aka Zootopia) (02.22/03.04/03.25)
A Bigger Splash (10.08.15/05.04/02.12)
Miss Sloane (11.20/11.25/05.12.17)
London Road (06.03.15/09.09/06.12.15)
The Girl with All the Gifts (07.26/02.24.17/09.23)
I, Daniel Blake...
- 4/27/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and/or own this week via various Digital HD providers such as cable Movies On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical Underworld: Blood Wars (action-fantasy sequel; Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Tobia Menzies; available to coincide with release of 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD; rated R) La La Land (romantic comedy/musical; Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt; rated PG-13) We Are X (music documentary about Japanese prog-metal band; Yoshiki, Toshi; rated R) A Dark Song (horror; Steve Oram, Catherine Walker; available on cable Mod and in select theaters on 4/28; not rated) Voice from the...
Read More...
Read More...
- 4/25/2017
- by Robert B. DeSalvo
- Movies.com
This Week in Home VideoPlus 20 more new releases to watch at home this week on Blu-ray/DVD.
Welcome to this week in home video! Click the title to buy a Blu-ray/DVD from Amazon and help support Fsr in the process!
Pick of the WeekCatfight
What is it? Two old college friends cross paths as adults and beat the ever-loving crap out of each other.
Why see it? Onur Tukel’s latest is also his best thanks in part to the lead performances by Sandra Oh and Anne Heche. They do a good job of manipulating our sympathies and concerns ensuring that our loyalties shift from act to act. Themes of female friendships, class distinctions, and redemption run through alongside a satirical look at modern life, and there’s a terrifically wicked streak throughout. Funny, smart, and brutal are all apt descriptors for this cynical look at our violent selves.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Commentaries, featurette, deleted scenes]
Catfight...
Welcome to this week in home video! Click the title to buy a Blu-ray/DVD from Amazon and help support Fsr in the process!
Pick of the WeekCatfight
What is it? Two old college friends cross paths as adults and beat the ever-loving crap out of each other.
Why see it? Onur Tukel’s latest is also his best thanks in part to the lead performances by Sandra Oh and Anne Heche. They do a good job of manipulating our sympathies and concerns ensuring that our loyalties shift from act to act. Themes of female friendships, class distinctions, and redemption run through alongside a satirical look at modern life, and there’s a terrifically wicked streak throughout. Funny, smart, and brutal are all apt descriptors for this cynical look at our violent selves.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Commentaries, featurette, deleted scenes]
Catfight...
- 4/25/2017
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
[Editor’s Note: This post is presented in partnership with Movies on Demand. Catch up on the latest films On Demand here.]
Movies on Demand continues to add a wide variety of audience favorites, even as the 2016 awards season is firmly in the rear view. Check out four of our favorite films from the upcoming month below, as well as the full list of great movies available throughout April.
1) “Paterson” (Available April 4)
Making a film about a poet is difficult, but Jim Jarmusch’s modest portrait of a modest Jersey bus driver finds something profound in simplicity. The week-in-the-life approach that Jarmusch takes with his script gives Adam Driver a career-expanding performance filled with warmth and empathy. Toss in one of the most adorable dogs in all of cinema and you have a film from a director returning to form.
2) “Lion” (Available April 11)
Based on Saroo Brierley’s real-life, Google-Earth-aided quest to find his birth family, Garth Davis’ film spans countries with a grace and respect that similar adoption stories rarely have.
Movies on Demand continues to add a wide variety of audience favorites, even as the 2016 awards season is firmly in the rear view. Check out four of our favorite films from the upcoming month below, as well as the full list of great movies available throughout April.
1) “Paterson” (Available April 4)
Making a film about a poet is difficult, but Jim Jarmusch’s modest portrait of a modest Jersey bus driver finds something profound in simplicity. The week-in-the-life approach that Jarmusch takes with his script gives Adam Driver a career-expanding performance filled with warmth and empathy. Toss in one of the most adorable dogs in all of cinema and you have a film from a director returning to form.
2) “Lion” (Available April 11)
Based on Saroo Brierley’s real-life, Google-Earth-aided quest to find his birth family, Garth Davis’ film spans countries with a grace and respect that similar adoption stories rarely have.
- 3/31/2017
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Stephen Kijak: 'We just went full on... starting from a place of intimacy' Photo: Manga Entertainment/Passion Pictures Stephen Kijak’s documentary We Are X offers an up-close portrait of the iconic Japanese rock band X Japan. His preceding music documentaries Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, Stones in Exile, Backstreet Boys: Show ’Em What You're Made Of and Jaco follow a filmmaking career that began outside of music, with the narrative feature Never Met Picasso and the feature documentary Cinemania. Since the start, Kijak’s work has been music-centric and even his upcoming narrative feature Shoplifters Of The World focuses on a real-life moment that grew up in the wake of the demise of British band The Smiths. It offers an impression of a filmmaker with narrative intentions amid musical influences, forming a career built upon a unification of story and music.
In conversation with Eye For Film,...
In conversation with Eye For Film,...
- 2/20/2017
- by Paul Risker
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
91 songs were recently named as being eligible for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, including three from Damien Chazelle’s musical “La La Land” and high-profile tunes by the likes of Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake and Sia. We’ll know which five are ultimately nominated on January 24. In the meantime, avail yourself of this Spotify playlist featuring 70 of the eligible songs — and the full list of all 91.
Read More: 2017 Oscar Predictions: Best Original Song
Read More: Oscar Best Score Contenders: The Inside Story of Creating 5 Diverse Frontrunners
“Just Like Fire” from “Alice through the Looking Glass”
“Rise” from “American Wrestler: The Wizard”
“Friends” from “The Angry Birds Movie”
“Flicker” from “Audrie & Daisy”
“Seconds” from “Autumn Lights”
“A Minute To Breathe” from “Before the Flood”
“Glory (Let There Be Peace)” from “Believe”
“Mother’s Theme” from “Believe”
“Somewhere” from “Believe”
“The Only Way Out” from “Ben-Hur”
“Still Falling For You...
Read More: 2017 Oscar Predictions: Best Original Song
Read More: Oscar Best Score Contenders: The Inside Story of Creating 5 Diverse Frontrunners
“Just Like Fire” from “Alice through the Looking Glass”
“Rise” from “American Wrestler: The Wizard”
“Friends” from “The Angry Birds Movie”
“Flicker” from “Audrie & Daisy”
“Seconds” from “Autumn Lights”
“A Minute To Breathe” from “Before the Flood”
“Glory (Let There Be Peace)” from “Believe”
“Mother’s Theme” from “Believe”
“Somewhere” from “Believe”
“The Only Way Out” from “Ben-Hur”
“Still Falling For You...
- 1/3/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Academy brass on Tuesday announced the roster of songs that will advance to the nominations stage for the 89th Academy Awards.
The original songs and the film in which each is featured are listed below in alphabetical order by film title and song title:
Just Like Fire from Alice through The Looking Glass
Rise from American Wrestler: The Wizard
Friends from The Angry Birds Movie
Flicker from Audrie & Daisy
Seconds from Autumn Lights
A Minute To Breathe from Before The Flood
Glory (Let There Be Peace) from Believe
Mother’s Theme from Believe
Somewhere from Believe
The Only Way Out from Ben-Hur
Still Falling For You from Bridget Jones’s Baby
That from The Bronze
Torch Pt. 2 from Citizen Soldier
Drift And Fall Again from Criminal
Take Me Down from Deepwater Horizon
Land Of All from Desierto
Sad But True (Dreamland Theme) from Dreamland
Angel By The Wings from The Eagle Huntress
Blind Pig from Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them...
The original songs and the film in which each is featured are listed below in alphabetical order by film title and song title:
Just Like Fire from Alice through The Looking Glass
Rise from American Wrestler: The Wizard
Friends from The Angry Birds Movie
Flicker from Audrie & Daisy
Seconds from Autumn Lights
A Minute To Breathe from Before The Flood
Glory (Let There Be Peace) from Believe
Mother’s Theme from Believe
Somewhere from Believe
The Only Way Out from Ben-Hur
Still Falling For You from Bridget Jones’s Baby
That from The Bronze
Torch Pt. 2 from Citizen Soldier
Drift And Fall Again from Criminal
Take Me Down from Deepwater Horizon
Land Of All from Desierto
Sad But True (Dreamland Theme) from Dreamland
Angel By The Wings from The Eagle Huntress
Blind Pig from Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them...
- 12/13/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced the 91 tunes eligible to compete for this year’s Best Original Songs, including three from “La La Land” alone. The most recent award went to “Writing’s on the Wall” from “Spectre,” the second consecutive James Bond film to be so honored; Adele won for “Skyfall” in 2012.
Read: ‘La La Land’: Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s ‘City of Stars’ Duet Will Sweep You Off Your Feet – Listen
This tends to be one of the Academy Awards’ more inclusive categories, often going to movies that get little or no other attention on Oscar night: Other recent winners and nominees include selections from “Frozen,” “The Muppets” and “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The final nominees will be announced on January 24. Full list below:
Read More: ‘Jackie’ Soundtrack: Stream Mica Levi’s Powerful, Haunting Score
“Just Like Fire” from “Alice through the Looking Glass...
Read: ‘La La Land’: Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s ‘City of Stars’ Duet Will Sweep You Off Your Feet – Listen
This tends to be one of the Academy Awards’ more inclusive categories, often going to movies that get little or no other attention on Oscar night: Other recent winners and nominees include selections from “Frozen,” “The Muppets” and “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The final nominees will be announced on January 24. Full list below:
Read More: ‘Jackie’ Soundtrack: Stream Mica Levi’s Powerful, Haunting Score
“Just Like Fire” from “Alice through the Looking Glass...
- 12/13/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Cmt is expanding its original documentary portfolio, greenlighting If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd (working title) for premiere next year. The project, from director Stephen Kijak (We Are X, Stones in Exile) and producer Passion Pictures (Searching For Sugar Man), will explore the music and backstory of the legendary American band. With the songs from the first six Lynyrd Skynyrd albums driving the narration, the film focuses on the story of front…...
- 11/3/2016
- Deadline TV
A total of 145 feature documentaries were submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration for the 89th Academy Awards.
Out of those films the members of the Academy’s documentary branch will select a shortlist of 15 features that will be announced in December, and the five nominations will be announced on January 24.
Read More: Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run the Fast-Changing Non-Fiction World
Among the titles included in the list are Ava DuVernay’s “13th,” the Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize winner “Weiner” by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, Raoul Peck’s Toronto Film Festival Audience Award winner “I Am Not Your Negro,” the visually stunning “Voyage of Time: The Imax Experience” by Terrence Malik and Otto Bell’s “The Eagle Huntress.”
Read More: Oscars 2017: 10 Documentary Shorts Vie for Nominations
This year Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees’ film “Amy” about British singer Amy Winehouse...
Out of those films the members of the Academy’s documentary branch will select a shortlist of 15 features that will be announced in December, and the five nominations will be announced on January 24.
Read More: Documentary, Now: Three Rock Stars Who Run the Fast-Changing Non-Fiction World
Among the titles included in the list are Ava DuVernay’s “13th,” the Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize winner “Weiner” by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, Raoul Peck’s Toronto Film Festival Audience Award winner “I Am Not Your Negro,” the visually stunning “Voyage of Time: The Imax Experience” by Terrence Malik and Otto Bell’s “The Eagle Huntress.”
Read More: Oscars 2017: 10 Documentary Shorts Vie for Nominations
This year Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees’ film “Amy” about British singer Amy Winehouse...
- 10/29/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
We Are X is the best documentary about a band you've probably never heard of but might be your new favourite. Seriously though, Stephen Kijak's documentary falls somewhere between Anvil: The Story of Anvil and This Is Spinal Tap.
Japan in the 1980s was exactly as you image it: buttoned down, proper and soft spoken. And then in 1982 a musical prodigy by the name of Yoshiki along with his best friend Toshi, started a metal band. We're talking big hair, make-up, outfits and speed metal the likes of which Japan had never seen. And they were a sensation.
But the band's masterminds were never satisfied with just one sound and over the years they have experimented leading to even more fandom and critical acclaim but also to trouble from within.
Wi [Continued ...]...
Japan in the 1980s was exactly as you image it: buttoned down, proper and soft spoken. And then in 1982 a musical prodigy by the name of Yoshiki along with his best friend Toshi, started a metal band. We're talking big hair, make-up, outfits and speed metal the likes of which Japan had never seen. And they were a sensation.
But the band's masterminds were never satisfied with just one sound and over the years they have experimented leading to even more fandom and critical acclaim but also to trouble from within.
Wi [Continued ...]...
- 10/26/2016
- QuietEarth.us
Welcome back to the Weekend Warrior, your weekly look at the new movies hitting theaters this weekend, as well as other cool events and things to check out.
This Past Weekend:
In one of the busier weekends of the month, two of the movies did better than I predicted and two did worse. The real winner of the weekend was Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, which did far better than anyone thought with an opening weekend of $28.5 million in just 2,260 theaters or $12,611 per theater. It ended up completely demolishing Tom Cruise’s action sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, which opened in almost 1,500 more theaters, but at least that ended up around where I predicted with $22.9 million. Ouija: Origin of Evil came out slightly below my prediction to take third place with $14 million, while the Fox comedy Keeping Up with the Joneses bombed even worse than I expected with $5.5 million in 3,000 theaters.
This Past Weekend:
In one of the busier weekends of the month, two of the movies did better than I predicted and two did worse. The real winner of the weekend was Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, which did far better than anyone thought with an opening weekend of $28.5 million in just 2,260 theaters or $12,611 per theater. It ended up completely demolishing Tom Cruise’s action sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, which opened in almost 1,500 more theaters, but at least that ended up around where I predicted with $22.9 million. Ouija: Origin of Evil came out slightly below my prediction to take third place with $14 million, while the Fox comedy Keeping Up with the Joneses bombed even worse than I expected with $5.5 million in 3,000 theaters.
- 10/26/2016
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
The slumbering specialized world woke up this weekend.
Critically acclaimed “Moonlight” (A24) pulled a sensational response far beyond its already high expectations. But it wasn’t the only positive story: “The Handmaiden” (Magnolia) beat the odds against subtitled films. And Michael Moore’s election special “Trumpland” (Dog Eat Dog) scored strong numbers in theaters along with its iTunes debut.
Openers
“Moonlight” (A24) – Metacritic: 99; Festivals include: Telluride, Toronto, New York 2016
$413,175 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $103,685
In a lackluster year at the specialty box office, even a $30,000 initial platform per theater average for Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” would have looked great. Instead, with a rare 99 Metacritic score, ahead of any other film this year, the opening PTA of $103,685 is sky high and among the top initial results ever.
How good is it? It is second only to “The Revenant” (which opened on Christmas weekend) among releases over the last two years.
Critically acclaimed “Moonlight” (A24) pulled a sensational response far beyond its already high expectations. But it wasn’t the only positive story: “The Handmaiden” (Magnolia) beat the odds against subtitled films. And Michael Moore’s election special “Trumpland” (Dog Eat Dog) scored strong numbers in theaters along with its iTunes debut.
Openers
“Moonlight” (A24) – Metacritic: 99; Festivals include: Telluride, Toronto, New York 2016
$413,175 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $103,685
In a lackluster year at the specialty box office, even a $30,000 initial platform per theater average for Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” would have looked great. Instead, with a rare 99 Metacritic score, ahead of any other film this year, the opening PTA of $103,685 is sky high and among the top initial results ever.
How good is it? It is second only to “The Revenant” (which opened on Christmas weekend) among releases over the last two years.
- 10/23/2016
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
There is plenty to discuss in a weekend where Lionsgate's Boo! A Madea Halloween is crowned champion of the largest three-day weekend the 2016 box office has seen in over two months. Boo!, along with fellow new releases Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Ouija: Origin of Evil and Keeping Up with the Joneses, generated 61.6% of the top twelve's overall gross of nearly $114 million, up 28% from last weekend and up 20% from last year. The weekend also saw a stellar opening for A24's Moonlight in limited release, delivering the largest opening per theater average of the year, and there are plenty of overseas results to discuss. Topping the weekend box office, Tyler Perry's Boo! A Madea Halloween brought in a stellar $27.6 million from 2,260 theaters ($12,212 PTA), the largest opening for a Madea branded feature and for a Tyler Perry-directed film overall since 2009's Madea Goes to Jail. As far as Madea-branded titles are concerned,...
- 10/23/2016
- by Brad Brevet
- Box Office Mojo
Stephen Kijak’s latest music documentary “We Are X” chronicles the rise and fall of rock band X Japan, as well as physical and emotional demons that drummer Yoshiki faced since the band’s formation in 1982. But Yoshiki initially didn’t want the documentary to be made. “First of all, I didn’t want to do this film,” the drummer said at TheWrap’s Screening Series at the Landmark Theater on Thursday. “It was too painful to talk about, too painful to remember each sad moment. My agent, William Morris Endeavour, asked me if we want to do this film.
- 10/21/2016
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
From director Stephen Kijak, best known for his documentary about the Rolling Stones, Stones in Exile, comes We Are X, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year. It is an excellent record of the history of X Japan, a hugely famous and successful band in Japan. However, more than just a documentary about the band and their music, We Are X is really about the band's leader, known simply as Yoshiki and about his troubled past and complex life. Because of this, one need not be a fan, or even aware of X Japan, to enjoy this film. Starting off with slow motion shots of an otherworldly drummer passionately smashing the drums like his life depends on it, We Are X immediately sets...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/20/2016
- Screen Anarchy
If you’ve never heard of X Japan and are prone to musical Fomo, fret not — “We Are X” is here to tell you why yet another band you’re unfamiliar with is actually of the utmost importance. Stephen Kijak’s film follows in the tradition of other recent documentaries about heretofore unsung artists — think “20 Feet from Stardom” and “Searching for Sugar Man” — albeit with a minor twist: X Japan is actually massively popular in its home country and could be on the verge of spreading its fame to this side of the Pacific. With more than 30 million...
- 10/19/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- The Wrap
We Are X is the critically acclaimed music documentary from Stephen Kijak that won a Special Jury Award at Sundance several months ago. If you’ve not heard of X Japan,...
- 10/14/2016
- by Jazz Tangcay
- AwardsDaily.com
Los Angeles, CA (October 10, 2016) . The Broadcast Film Critics Association (Bfca) and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (Btja) have announced the nominees for the inaugural Critics. Choice Documentary Awards. The winners will be presented their awards at a gala event on Thursday, November 3, 2016 at Bric, in Brooklyn, New York.
.It is an amazing time for documentaries, with the ever-increasing number of platforms enabling producers to reach enthusiastic and growing audiences for non-fiction storytelling,. said Bfca and Btja President Joey Berlin.
.This is clearly demonstrated in the depth and quality of our inaugural nominees. We have a wealth of brilliant creators who are bringing to light some of the most entertaining and illuminating stories being told today. Indeed, documentary filmmaking is modern investigative journalism. We look forward to celebrating all these fine and important achievements at the first Critics. Choice Documentary Awards gala on November 3rd..
13th, 30 For 30: O.J.: Made in America...
.It is an amazing time for documentaries, with the ever-increasing number of platforms enabling producers to reach enthusiastic and growing audiences for non-fiction storytelling,. said Bfca and Btja President Joey Berlin.
.This is clearly demonstrated in the depth and quality of our inaugural nominees. We have a wealth of brilliant creators who are bringing to light some of the most entertaining and illuminating stories being told today. Indeed, documentary filmmaking is modern investigative journalism. We look forward to celebrating all these fine and important achievements at the first Critics. Choice Documentary Awards gala on November 3rd..
13th, 30 For 30: O.J.: Made in America...
- 10/11/2016
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The Broadcast Film Critics Association (Bfca) and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (Btja) have announced the nominees for their inaugural Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards, taking place next month at a first-time gala event in Brooklyn, New York. Ava DuVernay’s “13th,” Ezra Edelman’s “O.J.: Made in America” and Clay Tweel’s “Gleason” lead the pack of nominees, with five nominations each. Other nominees include Kirsten Johnson’s “Cameraperson,” the gob-smacking “Weiner” and recent Netflix features “Amanda Knox” and “Audrie & Daisy.”
“It is an amazing time for documentaries, with the ever-increasing number of platforms enabling producers to reach enthusiastic and growing audiences for non-fiction storytelling,” said Bfca and Btja President Joey Berlin. “This is clearly demonstrated in the depth and quality of our inaugural nominees. We have a wealth of brilliant creators who are bringing to light some of the most entertaining and illuminating stories being told today. Indeed, documentary filmmaking is modern investigative journalism.
“It is an amazing time for documentaries, with the ever-increasing number of platforms enabling producers to reach enthusiastic and growing audiences for non-fiction storytelling,” said Bfca and Btja President Joey Berlin. “This is clearly demonstrated in the depth and quality of our inaugural nominees. We have a wealth of brilliant creators who are bringing to light some of the most entertaining and illuminating stories being told today. Indeed, documentary filmmaking is modern investigative journalism.
- 10/10/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
It was date night for Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello at the We Are X premiere in La on Monday night. The couple, who will be ringing in their one-year wedding anniversary next month, skipped the red carpet, but posed for photos once inside the Tcl Chinese Theatre. This is the first time we've seen Sofia and Joe at a public event together in months. They popped up at the SXSW Music, Film, and Interactive Festival back in March, and last month, Sofia stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to discuss some pretty hilarious things about her husband, including his football obsession with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Related Stories:15 Photos of Joe Manganiello's Biceps, Presented Without CommentAll the Times Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello Looked Almost Too Adorable Together...
- 10/4/2016
- by Monica Sisavat
- Popsugar.com
Sasha Lane captivated critics and audiences with her performance in “American Honey.” The breakout star has been in demand since the film debuted at Cannes, but has chosen to stay in the indie realm with her follow-up films.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Lane has now joined the cast of the drama “Shoplifters of the World Unite,” written and directed by Stephen Kijak. The story chronicles the day when The Smith’s lead singer Morrissey announced that the band was officially breaking up. Distraught with the news and filled with sadness, a young boy takes a gun to the Kiss 101 radio tower and demands that the DJ (portrayed by Joe Manganiello) play The Smiths for the entire night.
Read More: ‘Filmmaker’ Reveals 25 New Faces of Independent Film 2016: ‘American Honey’ Star Sasha Lane & More
Additional cast members include Nick Krause, Isabelle Fuhrman and Ellar Coltrane. Manganiello, Nick Manganiello and Laura Rister...
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Lane has now joined the cast of the drama “Shoplifters of the World Unite,” written and directed by Stephen Kijak. The story chronicles the day when The Smith’s lead singer Morrissey announced that the band was officially breaking up. Distraught with the news and filled with sadness, a young boy takes a gun to the Kiss 101 radio tower and demands that the DJ (portrayed by Joe Manganiello) play The Smiths for the entire night.
Read More: ‘Filmmaker’ Reveals 25 New Faces of Independent Film 2016: ‘American Honey’ Star Sasha Lane & More
Additional cast members include Nick Krause, Isabelle Fuhrman and Ellar Coltrane. Manganiello, Nick Manganiello and Laura Rister...
- 9/14/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
"If you put everything into something, you don't lose." Drafthouse Films has debuted an official trailer for the documentary titled We Are X, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. We Are X is about the Japanese rock band known as X Japan, "the world’s biggest and most successful band you’ve never heard of...yet." They're a Japanese rock band formed in 1982 by childhood friends Yoshiki and Toshi with "glam rock" music dubbed "psychedelic violence crime of visual shock." This doc tells their story, not only about their formation, but about their rise to fame and journey to play Madison Square Garden. This looks like a wacky, weird, but fun doc about a one-of-a-kind band. It's being released by Drafthouse Films which means there's definitely an edge to this that will make it worth watching. Check out the trailer below. Here's the official trailer (+ poster...
- 9/12/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Clip It: Each day, Jon Davis looks at the world of trailers, featurettes, and clips and puts it all in perspective. There's been a couple great documentaries about musicians from our North American continent not finding success here in America or Canada but generating a huge following in other places. Searching for Sugar Man and Anvil! The Story of Anvil are my two favorites. It's an interesting phenomenon. Think of the band Cheap Trick, who did okay in the U.S but were huge in Japan. In fact, "But they're huge in Japan.." has become a rock cliche. But what about a Japanese band that's so good, it's not unreasonable to wonder why they aren't huge everywhere else? That's the subject of We Are X. It appears the main visionary behind the band is the drummer Yoshiki, who is willing to push himself to the brink for his music. There...
- 9/8/2016
- by Jon Davis
- Hitfix
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– Rlj Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to Paul Schrader’s action thriller “Dog Eat Dog.” Based on the novel by Edward Bunker, the film was written by Matthew Wilder and stars Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe and Christopher Matthew Cook. The film first premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival and will have its North American premiere at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival in September.
The film “tells the story of three ex-cons who botch a kidnapping. They not only lose a rich payoff, but they get on the wrong side of the mob and become the city’s most wanted fugitives. Vowing to stay out of prison at all costs, things get completely out of...
– Rlj Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to Paul Schrader’s action thriller “Dog Eat Dog.” Based on the novel by Edward Bunker, the film was written by Matthew Wilder and stars Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe and Christopher Matthew Cook. The film first premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival and will have its North American premiere at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival in September.
The film “tells the story of three ex-cons who botch a kidnapping. They not only lose a rich payoff, but they get on the wrong side of the mob and become the city’s most wanted fugitives. Vowing to stay out of prison at all costs, things get completely out of...
- 8/26/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
New York-based film distributor Film Movement has announced the acquisition of Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest feature film, “After the Storm.” The film stars Kore-eda regular Abe Hiroshi “as a struggling novelist who attempts to reconcile with his mother, ex-wife and young son and finds the opportunity when a passing typhoon hits.”
“After the Storm” premiered in Un Certain Regard at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and will make its North American premiere in the Masters program of the Toronto International Film Festival next month.
Read More: Watch: First Trailer For Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘After The Storm’
Of the acquisition, Michael E. Rosenberg, President of Film Movement, commented, “Film Movement is honored to be releasing this Japanese master’s latest film. His comparison to Ozu is aptly deserved, as he captures the great sensei’s humanistic spirit in his stories and in the details.”
Film Movement will release the film...
“After the Storm” premiered in Un Certain Regard at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and will make its North American premiere in the Masters program of the Toronto International Film Festival next month.
Read More: Watch: First Trailer For Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘After The Storm’
Of the acquisition, Michael E. Rosenberg, President of Film Movement, commented, “Film Movement is honored to be releasing this Japanese master’s latest film. His comparison to Ozu is aptly deserved, as he captures the great sensei’s humanistic spirit in his stories and in the details.”
Film Movement will release the film...
- 8/22/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– Sony Pictures Classics have announced they have acquired the rest of Pedro Almodóvar’s full library of films, including “Pepi, Luci, Bom”; “Labyrinth of Passion”; “Dark Habits”; “What Have I Done to Deserve This?”; “High Heels” and “Kika.” Spc will release his latest, “Julieta,” in theaters on December 21.
Based on short stories by Nobel laureate Alice Munro, “Julieta” is “about a mother’s struggle to survive uncertainty. It is also about fate, guilt complexes and that unfathomable mystery that leads us to abandon the people we love, erasing them from our lives as if they had never meant anything, as if they had never existed. The cast includes Adriana Ugarte, Emma Suárez and Rossy de Palma. It...
– Sony Pictures Classics have announced they have acquired the rest of Pedro Almodóvar’s full library of films, including “Pepi, Luci, Bom”; “Labyrinth of Passion”; “Dark Habits”; “What Have I Done to Deserve This?”; “High Heels” and “Kika.” Spc will release his latest, “Julieta,” in theaters on December 21.
Based on short stories by Nobel laureate Alice Munro, “Julieta” is “about a mother’s struggle to survive uncertainty. It is also about fate, guilt complexes and that unfathomable mystery that leads us to abandon the people we love, erasing them from our lives as if they had never meant anything, as if they had never existed. The cast includes Adriana Ugarte, Emma Suárez and Rossy de Palma. It...
- 8/12/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– Drafthouse Films has announced that they will release Stephen Kijak’s “We Are X” in New York and Los Angeles on October 21, followed by nationwide expansion. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, where it was awarded the Special Jury Prize for editing, and follows the enigmatic Yoshiki, leader of the Japanese band X Japan.
“You will not believe the trials and tribulations that the arena-filling, mega-band X Japan have faced in their 30 year career,” said Drafthouse Films founder Tim League of the news. “This documentary will leave you equally breathless and uplifted. It is the best music doc of the year, and we are honored to bring it to American audiences.”
– Array has announced the acquisition of “Honeytrap,...
– Drafthouse Films has announced that they will release Stephen Kijak’s “We Are X” in New York and Los Angeles on October 21, followed by nationwide expansion. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, where it was awarded the Special Jury Prize for editing, and follows the enigmatic Yoshiki, leader of the Japanese band X Japan.
“You will not believe the trials and tribulations that the arena-filling, mega-band X Japan have faced in their 30 year career,” said Drafthouse Films founder Tim League of the news. “This documentary will leave you equally breathless and uplifted. It is the best music doc of the year, and we are honored to bring it to American audiences.”
– Array has announced the acquisition of “Honeytrap,...
- 8/5/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
ABC has ordered second seasons of original web shows “Newborn Moms,” “Forever 31,” and “I Can Find $3000 In Your Home” as part of ABCd, the network’s new digital programming platform.
ABCd is also home to the original series “Boondoggle” and “All My Gay Friends Are Getting Married,” as well as library fare (which the network is calling “Throwback” shows) like “Felicity,” “My So-Called Life,” “Ugly Betty,” “Ellen,” and the tragically short-lived “Trophy Wife.”
Read More: ABC Brings Nostalgic Favorites Like ‘My So-Called Life’ and ‘Trophy Wife’ Back to Life on Relaunched Streaming Site
The network also acquired “American Koko,” which follows a satirical agency that solves sticky racial situations. The series is created by Diarra Kilpatrick (who also stars), and is produced by Viola Davis’ and Julius Tennon’s JuVEe Productions. Originally distributed via Kilpatrick’s YouTube channel, “American Koko” received the Best Web Series Award from the American Black Film Festival.
ABCd is also home to the original series “Boondoggle” and “All My Gay Friends Are Getting Married,” as well as library fare (which the network is calling “Throwback” shows) like “Felicity,” “My So-Called Life,” “Ugly Betty,” “Ellen,” and the tragically short-lived “Trophy Wife.”
Read More: ABC Brings Nostalgic Favorites Like ‘My So-Called Life’ and ‘Trophy Wife’ Back to Life on Relaunched Streaming Site
The network also acquired “American Koko,” which follows a satirical agency that solves sticky racial situations. The series is created by Diarra Kilpatrick (who also stars), and is produced by Viola Davis’ and Julius Tennon’s JuVEe Productions. Originally distributed via Kilpatrick’s YouTube channel, “American Koko” received the Best Web Series Award from the American Black Film Festival.
- 8/4/2016
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
This year's Hong Kong Summer International Film Festival - curated by the Hkiff Cinefan programme - revealed its line-up this morning, with Woody Allen's Cafe Society announced as opening film and Paul Verhoeven's Elle closing festivities which run from 16-30 August across the city. New offerings from such celebrated auteurs as Whit Stilman (Love & Friendship), Thomas Vinterberg (The Commune), Terrence Malick (Knight of Cups), Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople) and Stig Bjorkman (Ingrid Bergman in her Own Words) also feature prominently. Asian highlights include De Lan from Liu Jie, two-part Japanese thriller Six Four and Lee Yoon-ki's A Man and a Woman, as well as rockumentary We Are X and documentary The Sion Sono. As always, the festival also features a strong programme of...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/25/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Werner Herzog’s thriller Salt And Fire will have its world premiere at the festival.
Longman Leung and Sunny Luk’s Cold War 2 [pictured], the sequel to Edko Films’ hit 2012 action thriller, will open this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (June 11-19).
Meanwhile, Werner Herzog’s Salt And Fire, Bruce Beresford’s Mr Church and Cao Baoping’s Coke And Bull are among the films selected for the Golden Goblet Awards (see full list below).
As previously announced the competition jury is headed by Emir Kusturica and also includes Atom Egoyan, Daniele Luchetti, African filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako (Timbuktu), Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden (Tharlo), Hong Kong actress Karena Lam and Chinese writer Yan Geling.
Japanese filmmaker Kazuo Hara will oversee a separate jury for documentaries, while Swiss animation director George Schwizgebel heads the jury for animated films.
Siff also unveiled nominations in six categories for the Asian New Talent Awards, which has a jury...
Longman Leung and Sunny Luk’s Cold War 2 [pictured], the sequel to Edko Films’ hit 2012 action thriller, will open this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (June 11-19).
Meanwhile, Werner Herzog’s Salt And Fire, Bruce Beresford’s Mr Church and Cao Baoping’s Coke And Bull are among the films selected for the Golden Goblet Awards (see full list below).
As previously announced the competition jury is headed by Emir Kusturica and also includes Atom Egoyan, Daniele Luchetti, African filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako (Timbuktu), Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden (Tharlo), Hong Kong actress Karena Lam and Chinese writer Yan Geling.
Japanese filmmaker Kazuo Hara will oversee a separate jury for documentaries, while Swiss animation director George Schwizgebel heads the jury for animated films.
Siff also unveiled nominations in six categories for the Asian New Talent Awards, which has a jury...
- 6/3/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Mongrel International has come aboard to rep international sales rights outside the U.S. and Canada to We Are X, the Stephen Kijak documentary about Japanese rock band X Japan that rocked at Sundance and SXSW this year winning awards at both. The film is produced by John Battsek’s Passion Pictures, which was behind the Oscar-winning docus Searching For Sugar Man and One Day In September. X Japan was the most successful rock band in Japanese history– 30 million albums sold…...
- 5/4/2016
- Deadline
Feature debuted at Sundance; produced by Searching For Sugar Man’s John Battsek.
New York-based Mongrel International has secured international sales rights (excluding Us, Canada and Japan) to Japanese rock band documentary We Are X and will bring it to market for the first time at the Cannes Marche next week.
The film centres on renowned heavy metal band X Japan, which sold more than 30 million records before they broke up in 1997. The band reunited a decade later.
The deal was brokered by Chantal Chateauneuf for Mongrel International and by Preferred Content and Wme Global on behalf of the filmmakers.
We Are X, directed by Stephen Kijak (Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of), debuted in competition at Sundance in January where it was awarded the special jury prize for editing and screened at SXSW in March, where it won an audience award.
Review: We Are X
The film was produced by John Battsek of [link...
New York-based Mongrel International has secured international sales rights (excluding Us, Canada and Japan) to Japanese rock band documentary We Are X and will bring it to market for the first time at the Cannes Marche next week.
The film centres on renowned heavy metal band X Japan, which sold more than 30 million records before they broke up in 1997. The band reunited a decade later.
The deal was brokered by Chantal Chateauneuf for Mongrel International and by Preferred Content and Wme Global on behalf of the filmmakers.
We Are X, directed by Stephen Kijak (Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of), debuted in competition at Sundance in January where it was awarded the special jury prize for editing and screened at SXSW in March, where it won an audience award.
Review: We Are X
The film was produced by John Battsek of [link...
- 5/4/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Here’s a cool intersection of film and music that helps set SXSW apart. The fest, which kicks off today, is hosting the opening screening of We Are X, the Stephen Kijak documentary about iconic Japanese rock band X Japan. That screening is tonight at the Satellite Venue: Marchesa. But next Friday’s screening at the Paramount Theater will up the stakes: the band’s co-founder and the docu’s main subject Yoshiki will perform live. Check out the trailer just cut…...
- 3/11/2016
- Deadline
I had a chance to interview Stephen Kijak at the Sundance Film Festival about his film We Are X. The interview follows: Alex Koehne: Yoshiki is an incredibly compelling character. I would watch a movie about him whether he was the biggest rock star in Japan or if he was a plumber. Is that what drew you to the project? Were you a fan the band beforehand or did this project come to you? Stephen Kijak: I was approached. This was a project that came to me from my relationship with John Battsek. He's a great documentary producer who did Searching for Sugar Man, he came here [to Sundance] last year with Listen to Me Marlon and he did Stone Drunk Brilliant Dead: The Story...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 2/2/2016
- Screen Anarchy
From director Stephen Kijak, best known for his documentary about the Rolling Stones, Stones in Exile comes We Are X which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year. It is an excellent record of the history of X Japan, a hugely famous and successful band in Japan. However, more than just a documentary about the band and their music, We Are X is really about the band's leader, known simply as Yoshiki and about his troubled past and complex life. Because of this, one need not be a fan, or even aware of X Japan to enjoy this film. Starting off with slow motion shots of an otherworldly drummer passionately smashing the drums like his life depends on it, We Are X immediately sets...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 2/2/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Nate Parker's racial drama "The Birth of a Nation" took both the top honors of the grand jury prize and the audience award at this year's Sundance Film Festival which held its ceremony tonight.
The film, a drama about the life of Nat Turner and the slave rebellion he led in antebellum Virginia, made headlines several days ago when it was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million.
It also marks the fourth year in a row where one film has taken the top two prizes in U.S. dramatic competition following 2013's "Fruitvale Station," 2014's "Whiplash" and last year's "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl". The U.S. documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrayal of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign.
In the World Cinema dramatic competition the grand jury prize went to Elite Ziker's "Sand Storm" which deals with...
The film, a drama about the life of Nat Turner and the slave rebellion he led in antebellum Virginia, made headlines several days ago when it was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million.
It also marks the fourth year in a row where one film has taken the top two prizes in U.S. dramatic competition following 2013's "Fruitvale Station," 2014's "Whiplash" and last year's "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl". The U.S. documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrayal of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign.
In the World Cinema dramatic competition the grand jury prize went to Elite Ziker's "Sand Storm" which deals with...
- 1/31/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Nate Parker’s directorial debut claimed the Us Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and corresponding audience award at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, capping off a barnstorming week for the slave revolt drama.
Last week The Birth Of A Nation sparked a bidding frenzy that resulted in the biggest on-site deal in the festival’s history as Fox Searchlight paid $17.5m for worldwide rights.
Sonita, Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami’s film about a rapping Afghan teenager opposed to arranged marriage, earned similar double honours as it won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and audience awards.
The Us Grand Jury Prize: Documentary award went to Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s Weiner, while the audience voted for Brian Oakes’ Jim: The James Foley Story.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic went to Elite Zexer’s Sand Story and the audience choice was Carlos del Castillo’s Between Land And Sea.
In other winners:...
Last week The Birth Of A Nation sparked a bidding frenzy that resulted in the biggest on-site deal in the festival’s history as Fox Searchlight paid $17.5m for worldwide rights.
Sonita, Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami’s film about a rapping Afghan teenager opposed to arranged marriage, earned similar double honours as it won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and audience awards.
The Us Grand Jury Prize: Documentary award went to Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s Weiner, while the audience voted for Brian Oakes’ Jim: The James Foley Story.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic went to Elite Zexer’s Sand Story and the audience choice was Carlos del Castillo’s Between Land And Sea.
In other winners:...
- 1/30/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Sundance Review: Moving Doc 'We Are X' Chronicles the Tragic Story of Japan's Biggest & Boldest Band
“English is the language of rock,” was the restrictive motto used by some to predict the impossibility of a Japanese band being successful in the genre, but, as Stephen Kijak music documentary “We Are X” proves, they were all wrong. Following last year's "Backstreet Boys: Show'Em What You Are Made Of," Kijak's latest rock-doc centers on X Japan, the most important Japanese musical act in existence. Although for most of our ignorant Western ears their extravagant and fascinating reinvention of rock and roll might be unknown, the power of their anthems is similar to a transporting religious revelation for millions.
Considered today as some of the most legendary performers in any language, X Japan was formed in the early 1980s when drummer Yoshiki, the absolute pillar and leader of the band, and vocalist Toshi were just teenagers making sense of their less than ideal lives through the angry energy in their composition. Stylistically, both in their attires and sound, they were the pioneers in the Visual Kei musical movement. Makeup, outrageous hairstyles, colorful clothing, and an overall sense of theatricality to their presence became their signature and what differentiate them from other artists in their local industry. Though they have often been compared groups in Glam rock scene, X Japan is in a category on its own due to the way they incorporate cultural authenticity into their flamboyant personas.
Noticeably embracing these attributes in the making of the film, Kijak takes advantage of the built –in narrative structure that the days leading up to the bands first epic presentation at Madison Square Garden provide. While counting down the days to this monumental event, both the current state at the band and their unbelievably tragic history are revisited in what seems like a painfully constructed scrapbook that holds many wonderful memories of friendship and success next to genuinely touching anecdotes about their bleakest episodes.
Centered on Yoshiki as the driving force of the band, “We Are X” chronicles his rise to superstardom at home while struggling to make an impact abroad as well as the personal battles such as his father’s death that have lead him to write songs that speak to the defeated by revitalizing them with hope. Kijak intelligently sprinkles the engrossing story with Yoshiki’s spiritual beliefs, which constantly lead him to think that all the recurrent calamities that wreck him are cause by an inexplicable curse. His soft-spoken personality and delicate mannerism clash with the commanding and ravaging character he plays on stage.
Watching Yoshiki’s masochistic devotion to his craft - to the point of nearly dying after each show and enduring tremendous muscular pain with every movement - is horrifying and galvanizing at once. He is a man that doesn’t brag about putting his life on the line, but who does so every night to transcend via his music. Is as if with every stroke of the drums Yoshiki attacks his ingrained demons, destroying his body but freeing his soul. Witnessing the amount of reckless vigor he exudes, despite the injections, the neck-brace, medications, and therapy he must submit himself to, is one of the purest examples of art surpassing the human body to become something divinely heroic.
Death is a relentless villain in the story of X Japan. Throughout the film, Yoshiki is seen visiting the cemetery on multiple occasions to honor the departed. One of the most overwhelming sequences takes place following the accidental death of the band’s guitarist Hide. His importance within the band and among their fan base was immeasurable. Thousands of girls breaking down in the streets of Japan and some even taking their own lives, was the aftermath. That’s the degree to which those who are inspired by their songs idolize X Japan. They replicate their outfits, they have their own hand gestures that resembles the letter that gives name to the band, they have a chant that is closer to a battle call and which exclaims “We are X!’ euphorically, and most importantly they have a sense of family – one that will never judge them based on their quirks.
Proficient and occasionally above the norm, like in the visually enticing opening credits, the documentary itself doesn’t go beyond traditional devices such as intimate interviews, archive footage, and recorded performances Nevertheless, Kijak’s proven affinity to interestingly portray a variety of music-related non-fiction tales shines here partly because of the exuberance of his subjects. The story is bigger than film, especially because the filmmaker’s objective was not only to capture the essence of the band, but also to inform those unfamiliar with X Japan about who they are and why their triumphant return matters. Their accented English lyrics and dramatic approach to performance were never an obstacle for those able to look into the more profound aspects of their work.
By the time the credits roll one feels for Yoshiki’s exposed vulnerability and the initial curiosity of watching a film about obscure Japanese musician transforms into admiration and respect for their loyalty to each other and their inspirational hymns designed to light up packed stadiums. Kijak’s entertaining and potent portrait is bound to become a favorite among fans and to persuade others to join the ranks of those under the loud spell of X Japan.
"We Are X" premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and it's currently seeking distribution.
Considered today as some of the most legendary performers in any language, X Japan was formed in the early 1980s when drummer Yoshiki, the absolute pillar and leader of the band, and vocalist Toshi were just teenagers making sense of their less than ideal lives through the angry energy in their composition. Stylistically, both in their attires and sound, they were the pioneers in the Visual Kei musical movement. Makeup, outrageous hairstyles, colorful clothing, and an overall sense of theatricality to their presence became their signature and what differentiate them from other artists in their local industry. Though they have often been compared groups in Glam rock scene, X Japan is in a category on its own due to the way they incorporate cultural authenticity into their flamboyant personas.
Noticeably embracing these attributes in the making of the film, Kijak takes advantage of the built –in narrative structure that the days leading up to the bands first epic presentation at Madison Square Garden provide. While counting down the days to this monumental event, both the current state at the band and their unbelievably tragic history are revisited in what seems like a painfully constructed scrapbook that holds many wonderful memories of friendship and success next to genuinely touching anecdotes about their bleakest episodes.
Centered on Yoshiki as the driving force of the band, “We Are X” chronicles his rise to superstardom at home while struggling to make an impact abroad as well as the personal battles such as his father’s death that have lead him to write songs that speak to the defeated by revitalizing them with hope. Kijak intelligently sprinkles the engrossing story with Yoshiki’s spiritual beliefs, which constantly lead him to think that all the recurrent calamities that wreck him are cause by an inexplicable curse. His soft-spoken personality and delicate mannerism clash with the commanding and ravaging character he plays on stage.
Watching Yoshiki’s masochistic devotion to his craft - to the point of nearly dying after each show and enduring tremendous muscular pain with every movement - is horrifying and galvanizing at once. He is a man that doesn’t brag about putting his life on the line, but who does so every night to transcend via his music. Is as if with every stroke of the drums Yoshiki attacks his ingrained demons, destroying his body but freeing his soul. Witnessing the amount of reckless vigor he exudes, despite the injections, the neck-brace, medications, and therapy he must submit himself to, is one of the purest examples of art surpassing the human body to become something divinely heroic.
Death is a relentless villain in the story of X Japan. Throughout the film, Yoshiki is seen visiting the cemetery on multiple occasions to honor the departed. One of the most overwhelming sequences takes place following the accidental death of the band’s guitarist Hide. His importance within the band and among their fan base was immeasurable. Thousands of girls breaking down in the streets of Japan and some even taking their own lives, was the aftermath. That’s the degree to which those who are inspired by their songs idolize X Japan. They replicate their outfits, they have their own hand gestures that resembles the letter that gives name to the band, they have a chant that is closer to a battle call and which exclaims “We are X!’ euphorically, and most importantly they have a sense of family – one that will never judge them based on their quirks.
Proficient and occasionally above the norm, like in the visually enticing opening credits, the documentary itself doesn’t go beyond traditional devices such as intimate interviews, archive footage, and recorded performances Nevertheless, Kijak’s proven affinity to interestingly portray a variety of music-related non-fiction tales shines here partly because of the exuberance of his subjects. The story is bigger than film, especially because the filmmaker’s objective was not only to capture the essence of the band, but also to inform those unfamiliar with X Japan about who they are and why their triumphant return matters. Their accented English lyrics and dramatic approach to performance were never an obstacle for those able to look into the more profound aspects of their work.
By the time the credits roll one feels for Yoshiki’s exposed vulnerability and the initial curiosity of watching a film about obscure Japanese musician transforms into admiration and respect for their loyalty to each other and their inspirational hymns designed to light up packed stadiums. Kijak’s entertaining and potent portrait is bound to become a favorite among fans and to persuade others to join the ranks of those under the loud spell of X Japan.
"We Are X" premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and it's currently seeking distribution.
- 1/30/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
We Are X, the story of Japanese glam metal band group X Japan, is so chalked full of mythos and operatic elements, you would think it was ripped straight from the pages of a manga. It’s a story of tragic loss, everlasting friendship, set to a a fantastic score that breaks the body with its
The post Sundance 2016: We Are X (Review) appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Sundance 2016: We Are X (Review) appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 1/26/2016
- by Ty Cooper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The Sundance Film institute has released the line-up of film for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Going to Sundance is one of my favorite events of the year. I love going because you never know what kind of movies you're going to see. Sometimes they are great films that amaze and entertain, other times they completely suck ass, but that's all part of the fun of going to the festival. It's an awesome experience for any hardcore movie geek, and if you ever get a chance to go, you need to.
The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups.
Some of...
The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups.
Some of...
- 12/6/2015
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
In 2015 it was Chad Gracia’s The Russian Woodpecker that walked away with the top World Cinema honors landing the coveted World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary. In this year’s twelve pack we have Turtles Can Fly director Bahman Ghobadi making a more docu carbon footprint with A Flag Without a Country, we have The Last King of Scotland‘s Kevin Macdonald and his fiction-non-fiction balancing act continue with Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang) and finally a Sundance Lab participant we have the crazy kidnapping/escape story of The Lovers and the Despot by docu-helmers Robert Cannan and Ross Adam. Here is the eleven of the future dozen.
All These Sleepless Nights / Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) — What does it mean to be truly awake in a world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences of life and love to a breaking point...
All These Sleepless Nights / Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) — What does it mean to be truly awake in a world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences of life and love to a breaking point...
- 12/2/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Titles include Tallulah starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney, and Chad Hartigan’s Morris From America (pictured); Next strand also announced.Scroll down for full list
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
- 12/2/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
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