INDIE FILMS
New Red Band Trailer + Poster for Coen Bros' 'Inside Llewyn Davis'
"Folk singer with a cat!" Just in time for the Cannes Film Festival kicking off next week, CBS Films has debuted another brand new red band trailer for Inside Llewyn Davis, the latest film from the Coen Brothers, starring Oscar Isaac as folk musician Llewyn Davis based on the story of Dave van Ronk. We've already seen one excellent trailer already and CBS Films just scheduled its December release, but this looks outstanding. Maybe I'm just in love with New York City and how they've captured it perfectly in this, but I'm very excited to see the film. The red band tag is mostly for language and not much else. Take a look below!
Forest Whitaker Leads a Fantastic Cast in First 'The Butler' Trailer
"Everything you are, and everything you have, is because of that butler." The first trailer has debuted for Lee Daniels' new film The Butler starring Forest Whitaker as Eugene Allen, who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler. As the latest follow-up to Lee Daniels' Oscar-winning Precious and his southern Gothic film The Paperboy, this is expected to be Oscar bait. It has quite a supporting cast to boot, with actors like Robin Williams, John Cusack, James Marsden, Liev Schreiber and Alan Rickman playing various Presidents. Even Oprah has a role, along with Cuba Gooding Jr., David Oyelowo and Lenny Kravitz. I'm not sure what to make of this, it's a very melodramatic trailer but doesn't look terrible.
First Look Photo: Bruce Dern and Will Forte in Payne's 'Nebraska'
Take your first look at what is sure to be an Oscar contender later this season, or at least an acclaimed indie sensation. The first officially released photo from Oscar winning writer/director Alexander Payne's new film Nebraska has debuted via USA Today, with a few quotes. "I had been sitting on this Nebraska script even when I did Sideways," Payne said. "But I didn't want to go back to a road-trip movie right after that. I was really tired of shooting people in cars... after Descendants, I came back to this story." The B&W film stars Bruce Dern and Will Forte, seen in the photo, as father and son "road-trippers". As for the B&W choice? Payne simply explains: "I think it's cool. It just felt like the right thing to do." See the first look photo below.
› Posted May 7 in First Look, Indies, Photos | Comments
First Beautiful Poster for Ryan Coogler's 'Fruitvale Station' Unveiled
A touching film deserves touching marketing. So far, so good, let's hope they keep this up. The Weinstein Company has unveiled this first official poster for Ryan Coogler's award-winning feature debut Fruitvale Station, originally known as just Fruitvale, starring Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle) in a career-defining role as Oscar. We saw and fell in love with this film at Sundance, a powerful, moving, heartfelt, intimate portrait of a young man, and a senseless tragedy. The poster contains what looks like a canvas painting of a scene of Oscar holding hands with his daughter, a striking image I'm glad they used for a poster. See below.
First Impressive Poster for Found Footage Sci-Fi 'Europa Report'
Fear. Sacrifice. Contact. This is awesome. Our favorite sci-fi blog io9 has debuted an impressive poster for Europa Report, the indie sci-fi about a mission to Jupiter's moon, Europa, where they're searching for life in the oceans. The film is apparently going to be presented entirely found footage, as was teased in the first trailer and footage late last year. The poster plays on that with some grainy visual static like the photo was decoded from video. The image itself is just a gorgeous shot of single astronaut walking towards the gigantic frozen ocean ice formation, with Jupiter (and their ship) looming above. It's simple, but a powerful image, and I love how much it conveys in just one beautiful image without the need for floating heads or huge text.
IFP Launching a 'Secret Film Club' at the reRun Theater in Brooklyn
A secret film club?! That's our idea! For years, a good friend and I have thrown around the idea of hosting surprise screenings for fun. The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) & Filmmaker magazine partnered with the reRun Theater in Brooklyn (Google Maps) and are launching this idea in what they've dubbed the "Secret Film Club". I want in already. For five days at the reRun, they're hosting free screenings that will be a complete secret. "The films screening – which will not be revealed publicly – will be a mix of acclaimed festival favorites with forthcoming theatrical releases and underappreciated recent independent titles."
› Posted May 6 in Cool Stuff, Events, Indies | Comments
Watch: Viking Film 'Hammer of the Gods' Intense Red Band Trailer
"Dark times call for dark deeds." Magnet Releasing has debuted the trailer for Hammer of the Gods, an intense Viking drama about a son who must take an epic journey across hostile territory to find the "king who will lead us to victory." Newcomer Charlie Bewley plays the young Viking warrior Steinar, and the film is directed by Farren Blackburn, who has also been directing "Doctor Who" episodes this season. There aren't many Gods in this and there's barely a hammer in the trailer, but it does look like a gritty, grounded Viking flick about a son who must come into his own. At least this looks much better than Valhalla Rising.
Watch: Steven Soderbergh's 'Candelabra' Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
"They are fearless in their performances." After listening to that State of Cinema speech (which I still love) from Steven Soderbergh, I'm even more intrigued to finally see Behind the Candelabra, his newest film debuting on HBO after premiering at Cannes this month. We've featured teasers and trailers for the film, but now we have a fantastic 12-minute long behind-the-scenes featurette that's must watch for anyone who enjoys the filmmaking process. Not only does it spend plenty of time with Sodebergh, Matt Damon and Michael Douglas, but also Debbie Reynolds, who knew Liberace, and writer Richard LaGravenese. They show a lot of footage in this video, but I'm impressed with the focus on the making of side of things.
› Posted May 6 in Featurette, Indies, To Watch | Comments
The Coen Brothers' 'Inside Llewyn Davis' Set for December Release
A release date has finally been set by distributor CBS Films for the new Coen Brothers film, Inside Llewyn Davis, starring Oscar Isaac as musician Llewyn Davis. We've already featured one great trailer, and the film is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival later this month, but CBS Films has now set an official release date for the US. Posted on their Twitter, they state that "Inside Llewyn Davis will be released limited on December 6, 2013; Expansion December 20, 2013." Sounds like perfect awards season fodder, of course. I wouldn't expect anything less from the Coens, back three years after True Grit. The film does look outstanding and I'm looking forward to seeing it. However, it is another seven months until it hits theaters.
› Posted May 3 in Indies, Movie News, Release Date | Comments
Kickstart This: Fantasy Short Film 'Delve' Blends Magic and Science
Welcome back to another edition of Kickstart This, FirstShowing's weekly column dedicated to spreading the word about cool indie projects that need your help to become a reality. This week, we want to turn your attention to a fantasy short film project called Delve. Combining elements of magic, science, and sci-fi, this ambitious short utilizes awesome production designs, some cool practical costume pieces, and even an elaborate CG dragon who becomes a main character in the story. But they need our help. Take a look at their pitch video below, leave us a comment, and don't forget to donate a few bucks if you can. Check this out!
› Posted May 3 in Indies, Kickstart This | Comments
Steve McQueen Lands Hans Zimmer to Score 'Twelve Years a Slave'
It still may be early in the year, but this is already one of the strong Oscar contenders of 2013. I'm talking about the film Twelve Years a Slave, the next feature from auteur Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame), starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup, a man living in New York during the mid-1800s who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the deep south. The film is in post-production and Film Music Reporter (via The Playlist) has learned that McQueen has somehow nabbed Hans Zimmer to score the film, which is getting a late December release by Fox Searchlight. The blog says Zimmer "recently composed the score."
› Posted May 3 in Indies, Movie News | Comments
First Teaser Poster for 'Nymphomaniac' Leaves Plenty to Imagination
Forget about love. Just sex. Lots of it. While we patiently wait for a trailer or footage or any actual release details for Lars von Trier's already-controversial new film Nymphomaniac, the first teaser poster has made an appearance via IMPAwards. The teaser features nothing but simple black text and two humongous parentheses which, inspired by internet ASCII art, together form a shape that looks a lot like something else. So ASCII art can sell movies nowadays? Why not. At least they're doing something unique here and making us and our own (vivid) imaginations fill in the blank, which is why this art works so well. Take a look below!
Must Watch: Trailer for Indie Drama 'The Attack' from Ziad Doueiri
"About your wife, doctor." Cohen Media has debuted a trailer for indie drama The Attack, from filmmaker Ziad Doueiri. It tells the story of a successful Israeli Palestinian surgeon, played by Ali Suliman, fully assimilated into Tel Aviv society with his wife, played by Reymond Amsalem. But his life is turned upside down after a suicide bombing in the city leaves nineteen dead, and police inform him his wife is responsible. There's a big twist stated up front that's a tough reveal, but necessary, because that's the entire plot. I saw this in Telluride and loved it; a powerful, moving story of how we cope with the harsh realities of this world.
Watch: Saoirse Ronan & Alexis Bledel in First 'Violet & Daisy' Trailer
"Can you handle it?" Cinedigm has debuted an official trailer for the release of Geoffrey Fletcher's Violet & Daisy, starring Alexis Bledel and Saoirse Ronan as young assassins, which first premiered in 2011 at the Toronto Film Festival (where I saw it!). The trailer shows quite a bit of the story and other recognizable actors in it, including James Gandolfini (who they spend a lot of time chatting with) and Danny Trejo. But I'm as unimpressed as I was when I saw it, there's just something very bland about it, despite the rather enticing pitch about these two deadly girls, but that's about all it has. Take a look below if you're interested.
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