Posts Tagged ‘HBO’

CHAPPiE – Blomkamp’s Latest Beatdown

Posted 10 Sep 2015 — by contributor
Category Film Reviews, Movies I Got

By Mike Shaeffer 

Chappie, USA / Mexico, 2015

Directed by Neill Blomkamp

CHAPPiE provides not only some intense escapism, but also a chilling look at what the day after tomorrow could bring if technology and power is placed in the hands of a corrupt and desperate police force. “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” ― George Orwell

In his 2009 feature-film debut, South African director Neill Blomkamp gave us the science fiction gem that is District 9, a stirring, gritty, and visually stunning allegory for how apartheid divided his home country. Blomkamp’s most recent foray into the science fiction genre, CHAPPiE, reflects one of society’s growing fears—the fear of a police force that has been granted greater technology, power, and room for corruption. With victims’ names like Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, John Crawford, and Jordan Davis making the headlines this past year, movies like CHAPPiE provide not only some intense escapism, but also a chilling look at what the day after tomorrow could bring if technology and power is placed in the hands of a corrupt and desperate police force.  Read More

Kings County Cinema Society Unveils New Short Films

Posted 03 Jun 2011 — by Ezra Stead
Category Film Industry News, Film Reviews, Movies I Got

By Ezra Stead

Jesus Comes To Town was the opening film of the Kings County Cinema Society's latest screening.

Last Friday I attended a strange and exciting event within walking distance of my apartment in Crown Heights, Brooklyn; Kings County Cinema Society presented a showcase of short films made by filmmakers from Brooklyn and beyond, including several New York and Brooklyn premieres, at Littlefield NYC, a performance and art space with a well-stocked bar and a good-sized screening room. As is to be expected in a sort of punk rock/hipster gallery, seating for the show was folding chairs, which made the viewing experience a bit less than comfortable after a while, but the films were mostly quite good, and in addition to the usual popcorn and peanuts, there were delicious peanut butter chocolate chip cookies on hand at the bar, free of charge. I helped myself to one of these and a bottle of beer and settled in for an evening of mostly comedic shorts from the borough that is now my second home (Minneapolis will always be my first).  Read More

Scenechronize – The Efficient, Environmentally-Friendly Future Of Production

Posted 18 Apr 2011 — by Ezra Stead
Category Film Industry News, Hollywood Beat

By Ezra Stead

Scenechronize is revolutionizing the film production process.

Last month, marketwire.com covered the story of a $5 million dollar series B financing deal led by three private investors for the web-based production management system known as “scenechronize.” Scenechronize is the only system of its kind currently in use, and it is already streamlining the production process of numerous films and television series by eliminating the costly and wasteful practices employed in the industry up until now. Scenechronize provides automatic distribution of script changes, sides, call sheets, prep memos, location maps and other information previously relayed through phone calls, emails, memos and other forms of written communication in a time-consuming, inefficient process susceptible to mistakes. According to the San Francisco-based company’s CEO, Hunter Hancock, “scenechronize expedites and streamlines communications for the entire production, saving wasted time, significant amounts of money, and lots and lots of trees.” Read More

The Sunset Limited

Posted 08 Mar 2011 — by contributor
Category Film Reviews, Movies I Got

By Scott Martin

The Sunset Limited, USA, 2011

Directed by Tommy Lee Jones

tommy lee jones and samuel jackson talking about raceIt is always a trick to adapt theater to a feature film. Easier to do so for television, though that’s probably a gross overstatement. HBO might be the best place to do it; they harbor independent film. Even trickier is maintaining a swift and watchable pace with only two actors and heavy religious dialogue. Thankfully, Tommy Lee Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, and Cormac McCarthy have no problem with this. The Sunset Limited is engaging, thought-provoking, and sincere.

Of course, being a McCarthy work, there is a sense of boundless eternity that is tinkered with throughout, and the ending is more of a truce than anything else, but this is usually so of his writing. Things happen, we talk about why, and then we go home. It doesn’t matter which side wins, just so long as each side is heard. Read More