Friday, December 19, 2025
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Elton John: Still Standing and Rocking in 3 Hour Show at the Garden

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I don’t know how he did it. I’m not sure Elton John does either. On the eve of a big trip to Russia for a series of shows, Sir Elton played the second of two three hour extravaganzas last night at Madison Square Garden. His fairly compact band of vets (they’ve been with him a long time) make a big sound that filled the completely sold out, renovated room of 19 thousand, give or take.

As a nod to its upcoming 40th anniversary release, Sir Elton played quite a bit of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Look at it from my perspective: I was there in 1974 when he played it at MSG the first time. Thirty nine years later the songs not only stand up but stand out, sounding fresher than ever. From the opening of “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” to the rocking “All the Young Girls Love Alice” that album is more alive than anything we heard in 2013.

Of course, it’s not 1974 so Elton is not jumping from one set to another in gigantic platform shoes or wearing a series of outrageous outfits. (Kids, you shoulda been there.) He runs the band and the stage from his piano, stage right, wearing one glittering coat with his initials embroidered along the back. The show emphasizes his musicianship now– same as it was in 1974, except now the artifice is removed. Back then you weren’t paying so much attention because there were too many diversions. At 66, Elton doesn’t have to do anything except be an artist.

It was so nice to hear an old old song, “Holiday Inn,” about his early touring days. The big set pieces– “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”– are like mini operas now with gorgeous melodies and crescendo’s. “Levon,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Rocket Man”  are performed economically to get the most punch from Bernie Taupin’s lyrics. “The One,” a hit from the late 80s, shows the depth of the John/Taupin catalog. In a three hour show, there isn’t a dud in the bunch.

My peeve: I could have heard more from “The Diving Board,” his new album. And the camera man should show more of the keyboard from that point of view. Otherwise, as satisfying a night as you could get from a real rock star. Bravo!

(PS I paid for three tickets last night and made a donation to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. It’s one of the top charities, and a must for the end of the year list. www.ejaf.org)

TV Land Treads Water: The Soul Man’s Shrinking Episode Order

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TVLand is not exactly the AMC of drama. They’ve just “renewed” a terrible sitcom, “The Soul Man,” for a third “season.” If only star Cedric the Entertainer should shed pounds the way “The Soul Man” has lost episodes with every season order. This new season is just a measly 8 episodes. That’s down from 10 in Season 2, and 12 in Season 1. TV Land is treading water until it can find something successful to replace it.

The grating “comedy” has no actual ratings. It never makes the top 50 or top 100 list of cable shows on its night, or in its week. TVLand is now touting its numbers in the narrowest range it can find: African American women ages 25-54. Talk about specific demos.

But TV Land is desperate. They’ve pinned their whole new-show schedule to “Hot in Cleveland,” a show that gets publicity but ratings not much better than “The Soul Man.” At least “Hot in Cleveland” has proven a potential syndication money maker for TV Land. They’ve actually had regular season orders– 22 or 24 episodes each– adding up to 80. In their next season, “Hot in Cleveland” will hit the magic number for syndication– 100– and TV Land can retire it to pasture. “The Soul Man,” which will never get half that far, is destined for repeats on UHF stations.

Sundance 2014 So Far: John Slattery Director Debut, “SNL” Hader & Wiig as Siblings

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Here the announced films so far for Sundance 2014. John Slattery has his directorial debut. “SNL” stars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are aiblings. And Anne Hathaway doesn’t sing in “Song One,” but falls in love with a songwriter. Jenny Lewis wrote the songs. I’m very excited.

U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION

 

Camp X-Ray/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Peter Sattler) — A young woman is stationed as a guard in Guantanamo Bay, where she forms an unlikely friendship with one of the detainees. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, J.J. Soria, John Carroll Lynch.

 

Cold in July/ U.S.A. (Director: Jim Mickle, Screenwriters: Jim Mickle, Nick Damici) — After killing a home intruder, a small town Texas man’s life unravels into a dark underworld of corruption and violence. Cast: Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, Vinessa Shaw, Nick Damici, Wyatt Russell.

 

Dear White People/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Simien) — Four black students attend an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over an “African American” themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in postracial America while weaving a story about forging one’s unique path in the world. Cast: Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell.

 

Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim.

 

God’s Pocket/ U.S.A. (Director: John Slattery, Screenwriters: John Slattery, Alex Metcalf) — When Mickey’s stepson Leon is killed in a construction “accident,” Mickey tries to bury the bad news with the body. But when the boy’s mother demands the truth, Mickey finds himself stuck between a body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please, and a debt he can’t pay. Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Christina Hendricks, John Turturro.

 

Happy Christmas/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Joe Swanberg) — After a breakup with her boyfriend, a young woman moves in with her older brother, his wife, and their 2-year-old son. Cast: Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham, Joe Swanberg.

 

Hellion/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kat Candler) — When motocross and heavy metal obsessed, 13-year-old Jacob’s delinquent behavior forces CPS to place his little brother Wes with his aunt, Jacob and his emotionally absent father must finally take responsibility for their actions and each other in order to bring Wes home. Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars, Walt Roberts.

 

Infinitely Polar Bear/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Maya Forbes) — A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don’t make the overwhelming task any easier. Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide.

 

Jamie Marks Is Dead/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Carter Smith) — No one seemed to care about Jamie Marks until after his death. Hoping to find the love and friendship he never had in life, Jamie’s ghost visits former classmate Adam McCormick, drawing him into the bleak world between the living and the dead. Cast: Cameron Monaghan, Noah Silver, Morgan Saylor, Judy Greer, Madisen Beaty, Liv Tyler.

 

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter/ U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi.

 

Life After Beth/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. When she mysteriously returns, he gets a second chance at love. Soon his whole world turns upside down… Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser.

 

Low Down/ U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters: Amy Albany, Topper Lilien) — Based on Amy Jo Albany’s memoir, Low Down explores her heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the urban decay and waning bohemia of Hollywood in the 1970s. Cast: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Flea.

 

The Skeleton Twins/ U.S.A. (Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriters: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman) — Estranged twins Maggie and Milo coincidentally cheat death on the same day, prompting them to reunite and confront the reasons their lives went so wrong. As the twins’ reunion reinvigorates them, they realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship. Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason.

 

The Sleepwalker/ U.S.A., Norway (Director: Mona Fastvold, Screenwriters: Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet) — A young couple, Kaia and Andrew, are renovating Kaia´s secluded family estate. Their lives are violently interrupted when unexpected guests arrive. The Sleepwalker chronicles the unraveling of the lives of four disparate characters as it transcends genre conventions and narrative contrivance to reveal something much more disturbing. Cast: Gitte Witt, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Stephanie Ellis.

 

Song One/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kate Barker-Froyland) — Estranged from her family, Franny returns home when an accident leaves her brother comatose. Retracing his life as an aspiring musician, she tracks down his favorite musician, James Forester. Against the backdrop of Brooklyn’s music scene, Franny and James develop an unexpected relationship and face the realities of their lives. Cast: Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Rosenfield.

 

Whiplash/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons. (Day 1 film)

 

U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

 

Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people and events that shape the present day.

 

Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett) — Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia — many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted.

 

All the Beautiful Things/ U.S.A. (Director: John Harkrider) — John and Barron are lifelong friends whose friendship is tested when Barron’s girlfriend says Barron put a knife to her throat and raped her. Not knowing she has lied, John tells her to go to the police. Years later, John and Barron meet in a bar to resolve the betrayal.

 

CAPTIVATED The Trials of Pamela Smart  / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Jeremiah Zagar) — In an extraordinary and tragic American story, a small town murder becomes one of the highest-profile cases of all time. From its historic role as the first televised trial to the many books and movies made about it, the film looks at the media’s enduring impact on the case.

 

The Case Against 8/ U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

Cesar’s Last Fast/ U.S.A. (Directors: Richard Ray Perez, Lorena Parlee) — Inspired by Catholic social teaching, Cesar Chavez risked his life fighting for America’s poorest workers. The film illuminates the intensity of one man’s devotion and personal sacrifice, the birth of an economic justice movement, and tells an untold chapter in the story of civil rights in America.

 

Dinosaur 13/ U.S.A. (Director: Todd Miller) — The true tale behind one of the greatest discoveries in history. (Day 1 film)

 

E-TEAM / U.S.A. (Directors: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman) — E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field.

 

Fed Up/ U.S.A. (Director: Stephanie Soechtig) — Fed Up blows the lid off everything we thought we knew about food and weight loss, revealing a 30-year campaign by the food industry, aided by the U.S. government, to mislead and confuse the American public, resulting in one of the largest health epidemics in history.

 

The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Knappenberger) — Programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz achieved groundbreaking work in social justice and political organizing. His passion for open access ensnared him in a legal nightmare that ended with the taking of his own life at the age of 26.

 

Ivory Tower/ U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Rossi) — As tuition spirals upward and student debt passes a trillion dollars, students and parents ask, “Is college worth it?” From the halls of Harvard to public and private colleges in financial crisis to education startups in Silicon Valley, an urgent portrait emerges of a great American institution at the breaking point.

 

Marmato / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Grieco) — Colombia is the center of a new global gold rush, and Marmato, a historic mining town, is the new frontier. Filmed over the course of nearly six years, Marmato chronicles how townspeople confront a Canadian mining company that wants the $20 billion in gold beneath their homes.

 

No No: A Dockumentary/ U.S.A. (Director: Jeffrey Radice) — Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter on LSD, then worked for decades counseling drug abusers. Dock’s soulful style defined 1970s baseball as he kept hitters honest and embarrassed the establishment. An ensemble cast of teammates, friends, and family investigate his life on the field, in the media, and out of the spotlight.

 

The Overnighters / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Moss) — Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local pastor’s decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.

 

Private Violence/ U.S.A. (Director: Cynthia Hill) — One in four women experience violence in their homes. Have you ever asked, “Why doesn’t she just leave?” Private Violence shatters the brutality of our logic and intimately reveals the stories of two women: Deanna Walters, who transforms from victim to survivor, and Kit Gruelle, who advocates for justice.

 

Rich Hill/ U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos) — In a rural, American town, kids face heartbreaking choices, find comfort in the most fragile of family bonds and dream of a future of possibility.

 

Watchers of theSky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action.

 

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION

 

 

52 Tuesdays/ Australia (Director: Sophie Hyde, Screenplay and story by: Matthew Cormack, Story by: Sophie Hyde) — Sixteen-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays. This emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation was filmed over the course of a year—once a week, every week, only on Tuesdays. Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Imogen Archer, Mario Späte, Beau Williams, Sam Althuizen. International Premiere

 

Blind / Norway, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Eskil Vogt) — Having recently lost her sight, Ingrid retreats to the safety of her home—a place she can feel in control, alone with her husband and her thoughts. But Ingrid’s real problems lie within, not beyond the walls of her apartment, and her deepest fears and repressed fantasies soon take over. Cast: Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vera Vitali, Marius Kolbenstvedt. World Premiere

 

Difret/ Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) — Meaza Ashenafi is a young lawyer who operates under the government’s radar helping women and children until one young girl’s legal case exposes everything, threatening not only her career but her survival. Cast: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere. World Premiere

 

The Disobedient/ Serbia (Director and screenwriter: Mina Djukic) — Leni anxiously waits for her childhood friend Lazar, who is coming back to their hometown after years of studying abroad. After they reunite, they embark on a random bicycle trip around their childhood haunts, which will either exhaust or reinvent their relationship. Cast: Hana Selimovic, Mladen Sovilj, Minja Subota, Danijel Sike, Ivan Djordjevic. World Premiere

 

God Help the Girl / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch) — This musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian is about some messed up boys and girls and the music they made. Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Cora Bissett, Pierre Boulanger. World Premiere

 

Liar’s Dice/ India (Director and screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas) — Kamala, a young woman from the village of Chitkul, leaves her native land with her daughter to search for her missing husband. Along the journey, they encounter Nawazudin, a free-spirited army deserter with his own selfish motives who helps them reach their destination. Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta. International Premiere

 

Lilting/ United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Hong Khaou) — The world of a Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger who doesn’t speak her language. Lilting is a touching and intimate film about finding the things that bring us together. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Pei-Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Peter Bowles, Naomi Christie, Morven Christie. World Premiere. (Day 1 film)

 

Lock Charmer (El cerrajero)/ Argentina (Director and screenwriter: Natalia Smirnoff) — Upon learning that his girlfriend is pregnant, 33-year-old locksmith Sebastian begins to have strange visions about his clients. With the help of an unlikely assistant, he sets out to use his newfound talent for his own good.Cast: Esteban Lamothe, Erica Rivas, Yosiria Huaripata. World Premiere

 

To Kill a Man/ Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernandez Almendras) — When Jorge, a hardworking family man who’s barely making ends meet, gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge’s son decides to confront the attacker, only to get himself shot. Even though Jorge’s son nearly dies, Kalule’s sentence is minimal, heightening the friction. Cast: Daniel Candia, Daniel Antivilo, Alejandra Yañez, Ariel Mateluna. World Premiere

 

Viktoria/ Bulgaria, Romania (Director and screenwriter: Maya Vitkova) — Although determined not to have a child in Communist Bulgaria, Boryana gives birth to Viktoria, who despite being born with no umbilical cord, is proclaimed to be the baby of the decade. But political collapse and the hardships of the new time bind mother and daughter together. Cast: Irmena Chichikova, Daria Vitkova, Kalina Vitkova, Mariana Krumova, Dimo Dimov, Georgi Spassov. World Premiere

 

Wetlands/ Germany (Director: David Wnendt, Screenwriters: Claus Falkenberg, David Wnendt, based on the novel by Charlotte Roche) — Meet Helen Memel. She likes to experiment with vegetables while masturbating and thinks that bodily hygiene is greatly overrated. She shocks those around her by speaking her mind in a most unladylike manner on topics that many people would not even dare consider. Cast: Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Meret Becker, Axel Milberg, Marlen Kruse, Edgar Selge. North American Premiere

 

White Shadow/ Italy, Germany, Tanzania (Director: Noaz Deshe, Screenwriters: Noaz Deshe, James Masson) — Alias is a young albino boy on the run. His mother has sent him away to find refuge in the city after witnessing his father’s murder. Over time, the city becomes no different than the bush: wherever Alias travels, the same rules of survival apply. Cast: Hamisi Bazili, James Gayo, Glory Mbayuwayu, Salum Abdallah. International Premiere

 

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

 

 

20,000 Days On Earth/ United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit. World Premiere

 

Concerning Violence/ Sweden, U.S.A., Denmark, Finland (Director: Göran Hugo Olsson) — Concerning Violence is based on newly discovered, powerful archival material documenting the most daring moments in the struggle for liberation in the Third World, accompanied by classic text from The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon. World Premiere

 

The Green Prince/ Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman ) — This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries. World Premiere. (Day 1 film)

 

Happiness/ France, Finland (Director: Thomas Balmès) — Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki’s eyes. North American Premiere

 

Love Child/ South Korea, U.S.A. (Director: Valerie Veatch) — In Seoul in the Republic of Korea, a young couple stands accused of neglect when “Internet addiction” in an online fantasy game costs the life of their infant daughter. Love Child documents the 2010 trial and subsequent ruling that set a global precedent in a world where virtual is the new reality. World Premiere

 

Mr leos caraX/ France (Director: Tessa Louise-Salomé) — Mr leos caraX plunges us into the poetic and visionary world of a mysterious, solitary filmmaker who was already a cult figure from his very first film. Punctuated by interviews and previously unseen footage, this documentary is most of all a fine-tuned exploration of the poetic and visionary world of Leos Carax, alias Mr. X. World Premiere

 

My Prairie Home/ Canada (Director: Chelsea McMullan) — A poetic journey through landscapes both real and emotional, Chelsea McMullan’s documentary/musical offers an intimate portrait of transgender singer Rae Spoon, framed by stunning images of the Canadian prairies. McMullan’s imaginative visual interpretations of Spoon’s songs make this an unforgettable look at a unique Canadian artist. International Premiere

 

The Notorious Mr. Bout/ U.S.A., Russia (Directors:Tony Gerber, Maxim Pozdorovkin ) — Viktor Bout was a war profiteer, an entrepreneur, an aviation tycoon, an arms dealer, and—strangest of all—a documentary filmmaker. The Notorious Mr. Bout is the ultimate rags-to-riches-to-prison memoir, documented by the last man you’d expect to be holding the camera. World Premiere

 

The Return to Homs/ Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki) — Basset Sarout, the 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, becomes a demonstration leader and singer, and then a fighter. Ossama, a 24-year-old renowned citizen cameraman, is critical, a pacifist, and ironic until he is detained by the regime’s security forces. North American Premiere

 

SEPIDEH – Reaching for the Stars/ Denmark (Director: Berit Madsen) — Sepideh wants to become an astronaut. As a young Iranian woman, she knows it’s dangerous to challenge traditions and expectations. Still, Sepideh holds on to her dream. She knows a tough battle is ahead, a battle that only seems possible to win once she seeks help from an unexpected someone. North American Premiere

 

We Come as Friends/ France, Austria (Director: Hubert Sauper) — We Come as Friends views colonization as a human phenomenon through both explicit and metaphoric lenses without oversimplified accusations or political theorizing. Alarmingly, It is not a historical film since colonization and the slave trade still exist. World Premiere

 

Web Junkie/ Israel (Directors: Shosh Shlam, Hilla Medalia) — China is the first country to label “Internet addiction” a clinical disorder. Web Junkie investigates a Beijing rehab center where Chinese teenagers are deprogrammed. World Premiere

NEXT <=>

 

 

Appropriate Behavior/ U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Desiree Akhavan) — Shirin is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, a politically correct bisexual, and a hip, young Brooklynite, but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Being without a cliché to hold on to can be a lonely experience. Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Halley Feiffer, Scott Adsit, Anh Duong, Arian Moayed. World Premiere

 

Drunktown’s Finest/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sydney Freeland) — Three young Native Americans—a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual—come of age on an Indian reservation. Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Elizabeth Francis. World Premiere

 

The Foxy Merkins/ U.S.A. (Director: Madeleine Olnek, Screenwriters: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Madeleine Olnek) — Two lesbian hookers work the streets of New York. One is a down-on-her-luck newbie; the other is a beautiful—and straight—grifter who’s an expert on picking up women. Together they face bargain-hunting housewives, double-dealing conservative women, and each other in this prostitute buddy comedy. Cast: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Alex Karpovsky, Susan Ziegler, Sally Sockwell, Deb Margolin.

 

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ana Lily Amirpour) — In the Iranian ghost town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, depraved denizens are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Cast: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Dominic Rains, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnó, Milad Eghbali. World Premiere

 

Imperial Dreams/ U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster’s devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De’aundre Bonds.World Premiere

 

Land Ho!/ U.S.A., Iceland (Directors and screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Aaron Katz) — A pair of ex-brothers-in-law set off to Iceland in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, and rugged campsites. This bawdy adventure is a throwback to 1980s road comedies, as well as a candid exploration of aging, loneliness, and friendship. Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Nelson, Alice Olivia Clarke, Karrie Krouse, Elizabeth McKee, Emmsjé Gauti.World Premiere

 

Listen Up Philip/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — A story about changing seasons and changing attitudes, a newly accomplished writer faces mistakes and miseries affecting those around him, including his girlfriend, her sister, his idol, his idol’s daughter, and all the ex-girlfriends and enemies that lie in wait on the open streets of New York. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume. World Premiere

 

Memphis/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A strange singer drifts through the mythic city of Memphis, surrounded by beautiful women, legendary musicians, a stone-cold hustler, a righteous preacher, and a wolf pack of kids. Under a canopy of ancient oak trees and burning spirituality, his doomed journey breaks from conformity and reaches out for glory. Cast: Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson. World Premiere

 

Obvious Child/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Gillian Robespierre) — An honest comedy about what happens when Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant, just in time for the worst/best Valentine’s Day of her life. Cast: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, David Cross, Gabe Liedman, Richard Kind. World Premiere

 

Ping Pong Summer/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Tully) — 1985. Ocean City, Maryland. Summer vacation. Rap music. Parachute pants. Ping pong. First crushes. Best friends. Mean bullies. Weird mentors. That awkward, momentous time in your life when you’re treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you’re as funky fresh as it gets. Cast: Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Lea Thompson, Amy Sedaris, Robert Longstreet, Marcello Conte.World Premiere

 

War Story/ U.S.A. (Director: Mark Jackson, Screenwriters: Kristin Gore, Mark Jackson) — A war photographer retreats to a small town in Sicily after being held captive during the conflict in Libya. Cast: Catherine Keener, Hafsia Herzi, Vincenzo Amato, Donatella Finocchiaro, Ben Kingsley. World Premiere

Toldya! National Board of Review Goes for A Warner Bros Film, Snubs “12 Years”

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I did tell you the kooky National Board of Review would go for a Warner Bros. film didn’t I? I thought it would be “Gravity.” They zagged and went for Spike Jonze’s “Her.” Annie Schulhof and her group of non-reviewers are nothing if not predictable. Didn’t I say they’d do a special prize for “Gravity”?

They chose Bruce Dern for Best Actor and Will Forte for Best Supporting Actor.

It’s not that I disagree with these choices, but the NBR– blunted by the New York Film Critics with their Robert Redford-Jared Leto choices– were stuck. And they were certainly not going for Chiwetel Ejiofor. You knew that going in. The NBR stayed away from “12 Years a Slave” and “The Butler.” Their “black” movie was “Fruitvale Station,” guaranteeing them that the Weinstein Company would pay for one or two tables.

Best Actress went to Emma Thompson for “Saving Mr. Banks.” Best Screenplay went, strangely, to Terence Winter for “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Huh? Their Best Picture, “Her,” actually is the best written of these movies. But they had to get Scorsese in. Plus, they’re giving Marty and a special award, just to get them onto the show. Laughable. Do the actors and directors not get this?

Best Ensemble, “Prisoners”? WTF? The characters are rarely in the same scenes together. “August Osage County,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “The Butler,” “American Hustle”– but not “Prisoners,” yet another … wait for it.. Warner Bros. That Annie, she sure loves Warner Bros.

These dopes didn’t even include “American Hustle” in their Top 10.  Urgggh. And now, their dinner, at $600 a pop.

BEST PICTURE
“Her”

BEST DIRECTOR
Spike Jonze, “Her”

BEST ACTOR
Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”

BEST ACTRESS
Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Will Forte, “Nebraska”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Octavia Spencer, “Fruitvale Station”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Joel and Ethan Coen, “Inside Llewyn Davis”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Terence Winter, “The Wolf of Wall Street”

BEST ENSEMBLE
“Prisoners”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
“The Wind Rises”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
“The Past”

BEST DOCUMENTARY
“Stories We Tell”

SPOTLIGHT AWARD
Career collaboration of Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCES
Adele Exarchopoulos, “#Blue is the Warmest Colo#r”
Michael B. Jordan, “Fruitvale Station”

DEBUT DIRECTOR
Ryan Coogler, “Fruitvale Station”

CREATIVE INNOVATION IN FILMMAKING
“Gravity”

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
“Wadjda”

BEST PICTURE NOMINEES (alphabetical)
“12 Years a Slave”
“Fruitvale Station”
“Gravity”
“Inside Llewyn Davis”
“Lone Survivor”
“Nebraska”
“Prisoners”
“Saving Mr. Banks”
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
“The Wolf of Wall Street”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE NOMINEES (alphabetical)
“Beyond the Hills”
“Gloria”
“The Grandmaster”
“A Hijacking”
“The Hunt”

BEST DOCUMENTARY NOMINEES (alphabetical)
“20 Feet from Stardom”
“The Act of Killing”
“After Tiller”
“Casting By”
“The Square”

BEST INDEPENDENT FILMS (alphabetical)
“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
“Dallas Buyers Club”
“In a World…”
“Mother of George”
“Much Ado About Nothing”
“Mud”
“The Place Beyond the Pines”
“Short Term 12”
“Sightseers”
“The Spectacular Now”

Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” Back in Theatres Friday for Oscar Run

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Good news: Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” is coming back to theaters this Friday for its Oscar run in 1007 theaters. The film has made $115 million domestically. It should be a Best Picture nominee, with actor nods to Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo. Lee Daniels is in the mix for Best Director, and Danny Strong wrote one of the best screenplays of 2013. I don’t know what happened to Gladys Knight’s song written by Lenny Kravitz–that should be up for Best Song just to have Gladys on the Academy Awards. “The Butler” has a strong following in the Academy. It’s also a potential SAG ensemble nominee. And Oprah, as I said when I first saw “The Butler,” should be the Best Supporting Actress of the Year. Since I wrote that, people have said to me, Oh, she’s Oprah, she has everything, she doesn’t need it. This is ridiculous. Nothing can touch that performance!

Paul Walker’s Relief Charity Was Well Intentioned But Cash Poor

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Before everyone starts sending money to Reach Out World Wide, Paul Walker’s charity, you might want to rethink it and send the money in his name to the Red Cross. Reach Out World Wide’s two tax filings, for 2010 and 2011, aren’t that encouraging.

It’s a little unclear how ROWW was doing business since Walker did go on rescue missions to the Philippines in 2011, and helped out after disasters in Chile and Oklahoma. There are seven videos posted to YouTube showing him and his “team” on the ground.

In 2011, according to IRS documents scanned a year ago into their system by Guide Star, Reach Out World Wide had $83,783 in expenses. Only $7,085 of that was for “Rescue Equipment.” They spent $28,500 on “rent, parking and utilities.”

In fact, ROWW in its second year of operation was wobbly. They had received  $607,776 in securities from Always Evolving, the company run by Roger Rodas, the race car driver who was killed with Walker last week in the terrible accident. But the reality was just over $3,744 in cash on hand.

There was no donation from Walker, but he may have just been spending his own cash without notating it. The 2012 tax filing, which still hasn’t been posted, may reveal more details.

 

Gotham Awards: Jared Leto Gets Pelted, Oscar Isaac Wants Sex Scenes with Jessica Lange

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A weird scene in the press room Monday night at the Gotham Awards: Somebody who worked for the vodka sponsor threw a fur hat at Jared Leto’s head to get him to turn his head a particular direction for a photograph. At first we didn’t realize it was a soft item and everyone gasped. The “Dallas Buyers Club” actor was very cool. He also has quite a mane of hair, so it didn’t hurt. The publicist in the room was understandably furious at the guy who threw the hat and chewed him out..

Cate Blanchett dropped off the press list. Bummed out journalists told me as soon I arrived on the red carpet at the Gotham Awards Monday night at Cipriani Wall Street. The “Blue Jasmine” star was to lose out anyway in the Best Actress category to the stunned and bubbly Brie Larson for her subtle star turn as a social worker in “Short Term 12.’

Other notable no-shows were Ethan and Joel Coen, who won the Best Feature Film award for “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Oscar Isaac, who stars in the title role as a talented but doomed-to-fail 1969’s folk singer, picked up the glass trophy instead for the absent brothers.

Isaac, who was also nominated for Best Actor, lost out to Matthew McConaughey for “Dallas Buyers Club.”

But McConaughey also didn’t make it to the Gotham Awards, so Jared Leto, who co-stars in “Dallas Buyers Club,” picked up the prize for McConaughey instead and even tried to call him from the stage to give him the good news.

In the pressroom Leto told me of McConaughey, “Alas he couldn’t be here. He’s working so I just thought I should try and call him and, you know,” he laughed, “it didn’t work out so well but he was laughing on the phone so it was kind of fun to be a small part of it. You know, it’s his award. I’m just happy that I could be here to kind of shepherd it and hide it from him.”

 McConaughey’s got a good out; he’s on the film set of the hotly anticipated Christopher Nolan sci-fi thriller, “Interstellar,” co-starring Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway

 Leto has added a lot of facial hair and a some weight since last year when he was at the Gothams to pick up an award for his documentary film “Artifact.” Leto was in the middle of shooting “Dallas Buyers Club,” in which he played the transgender Rayon, who is wasting away from AIDS, and he was so emaciated no one in the pressroom even recognized him. He’s still very skinny but at least now he doesn’t have to lean on anyone for support to keep from falling over from hunger. Also his eyebrows grew back.

“Last year everybody was wondering what the hell I was doing with no eyebrows, right?” Leto cracked before he exited the pressroom.

Meanwhile Oscar Isaac was just coming into the pressroom to pose with the Coen brothers trophy and chat with the press. He told he didn’t get a chance yet to tak to the famously awards-adverse brothers. “No, No, I just got off stage and talking to you now.”

  Asked what he liked about working with Ethan and Joel, Isaac said, “They make a community of artists and so everyone is encouraged to give all their ideas and we’re all making it together. It really reflects what it was like in the Village in the 60’s you know.” 

  “There’s no vanity. There’s no ego to the thing that they do and they really examine existence,” he said.

  Isaac told me the most challenging part about his role was how internal the character is. “He doesn’t show his emotions and he doesn’t ask to be liked. He doesn’t use charm, so to still convey a sympathetic human being as someone that deserves your attention without using those traditional means of warmth or extraversion, that was a challenge.”

Unlike Llewyn, Isaac is very charming and outgoing, especially when I asked him about his next film, which is set in 1860’s Paris and co-stars Elizabeth Olsen. It’s based on the Zola novel “Thérèse Raquin” about a sexually repressed young woman trapped in a loveless marriage with her sickly cousin Camille (Tom Felton). Jessica Lange plays Thérèse’s domineering aunt. At the “Oldboy” junket recently Olsen told me Isaac was terrific as Laurent, her passionate lover.

I asked Isaac what he could tell me about the film.

“I think Jessica Lange in incredible in the movie,” he said enthusiastically, “and she’s been one of my favorite actresses and so to get to work with her was incredible.”

 And for once he gets to have some sexy love scenes I pointed out.

 “I only wish it was with Jessica Lange, I can say that.”

 

TV: “Dallas” Plans a Big Wedding, But Will All The Vets Be There?

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The reboot of “Dallas” is coming for a third season on TNT in February. It’s the first time “Dallas” is being attempted without Larry Hagman as its driving force, JR Ewing. I was told a couple of weeks ago that the show is shooting a big wedding episode–maybe for JR’s son, John Ross.

But will all the Ewings be there? Yesterday after her beautiful reading at Julie Harris’s memorial service, I asked Joan van Ark, who played Valene Ewing on “Dallas” and “Knots Landing” for nigh on 20 years, if she’d be on the groom’s side.

“Ted [Shackelford, who plays Gary Ewing] and I were not invited to the wedding,” van Ark told me. “We were on ‘Dallas’ last year. Ted’s not sure if we’re ever going back. But I’m convinced we are. I’d like to mix it up with Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) some more. And the fans love the original characters.”

I hope she’s right. So far “Dallas” re-booter Cynthia Cidre’s done a good job keeping “Dallas” in line with its roots. The fans want to see the original characters as much as possible and that means all the Ewings since JR is sadly gone.

van Ark, by the way, does an amazing amount of voice over work. You can hear her sultry tones on a lot of commercials!

 

Tonight’s “Out of the Furnace” Premiere: Public Tickets Available, in Bulk

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I don’t know who or what is putting together tonight’s premiere of “Out of the Furnace.” But the “Deer Hunter” like movie’s producers must be nervous their invited guests aren’t coming. Or something. The public is welcome to buy tickets to the “Furnace” premiere in person or online at the Landmark Sunshine on Houston Street. I’ve managed twice this morning to reserve a group of 10. All I had to do was give my credit card. Sadly, I will be at Elton John’s sold out show tonight at Madison Square Garden. But if you’re interested in seeing Scott Cooper’s brutal vision along with stars like Casey Affleck and Christian Bale, then $13.50 is your way in. Scott Cooper will be there for a Q&A after the show. “Out of the Furnace,” by the way, has a respectable 70% on rottentomatoes.com

A “Knots Landing” Reunion and All Star Send Off for 6 Time Tony Winner Julie Harris

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Six time Tony Award winner Julie Harris, first lady of the American theater, got an all-star send off this afternoon from a bunch of stars in a packed Broadway theater. Convening at the Bernard Jacobs Theater on West 45th St. to say their goodbyes were no less than Christopher Plummer, Joan van Ark, Hal Holbook, Rosemary Harris, Cherry Jones, and Zoe Caldwell among others.

There were plenty of stars in the audience, too, including Jane Alexander and Joan Copeland, and two more of Harris’s “Knots Landing” co-stars besides van Ark– Donna Mills and Michele Lee, who’d each flown in especially to pay tribute to their amazing friend.

After the show, all the speakers– including organizer Francesca James, playwright Bill Luce (“The Belle of Amherst”), producer Biff Liff, and actors Jennifer Harmon and Roberta Maxwell– threw a big lunch upstairs at Sardi’s with lots of toasts and anecdotes about the generous shopaholic Harris who doted on her friends.

Famed theater producer Liz McCann recalled how CBS once cut a Harris tribute with Meryl Streep presenting an award to her from a Tony Awards broadcast.

At one point the memorial could have gotten its own Tony award considering the murderer’s row of actors who appeared one after another. van Ark told the story of how Harris, then the only female graduate of Yale Drama School, got the young actress admitted, making her the second female graduate of Yale Drama School. Years later by coincidence, Harris was hired to play van Ark’s mother on “Knots Landing.”

Holbrook, who was born the same year as Harris, called her acting “simple truth.”

A tape was played from a Charlie Rose interview in which Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench claimed the only performance they couldn’t top was Harris in “A Member of the Wedding.”

van Ark told me at Sardi’s that the Knots Landing gang– still extremely close after 14 seasons on CBS– have started a Julie Harris Scholarship at Yale Drama. “Alec Baldwin put in the first $25,000,” van Ark said of her one time TV brother. “That’s what gave it legitimacy.”

Check it out at drama.yale.edu/julieharrisscholarship or contact deborah.herman@yale.edu for more information