Sundance Film Festival 2023 Lineup to Showcase 99 Feature Films

Posted on December 7, 2022 by admin

In-Person Ticket Packages Now On Sale; Online Ticket Package Sales Begin December 13

The Sundance Film Festival has announced its 2023 features program. This also includes the titles that is set to compete in the narrative and documentary categories.

The 2023 Festival will take place January 19–29, 2023, in person in Park City, Salt Lake City, and the Sundance Resort, along with a selection of films available online across the country January 24–29, 2023. Festivalgoers will once again return to theaters to discover this upcoming year’s most impactful independent stories. In-Person Ticket Packages are currently on sale through December 16, Online Ticket Packages go on sale December 13 at 10 a.m. MT, and single film tickets go on sale January 12 at 10 a.m. MT.

Setting the scene, Day One Features will open the Festival in Park City: 11 features, plus a Shorts program, will illustrate the scope of Festival work across genre and form. Day One Features are birth/rebirth, L’Immensità, It’s Only Life After All, Kim’s Video, Little Richard: I Am Everything, The Longest Goodbye, The Pod Generation, Radical, Shayda, Sometimes I Think About Dying, and Run Rabbit Run. In addition, on January 19, the Institute will host the inaugural Opening Night: A Taste of Sundance presented by IMDbPro.

The celebration will kick off the Festival welcoming everyone back together again while raising funds for the Institute’s critical year-round artist support. The evening will honor Ryan Coogler, Nikyatu Jusu, W. Kamau Bell, and more whose journeys have been connected to Sundance throughout the years. In addition, in-person attendees will get to experience a robust offering of talks and events during the Festival, with more details to be announced.

Continue reading →

Festival Hit “Night Of The Bastard” Release Date And Trailer Released

Posted on December 6, 2022 by admin

Dark Sky is set to release the festival fan favorite “Night of the Bastard” on January 13th, 2023.

The savage cultist siege film is directed by Erik Boccio (Funny or Die’s Weirdfellas, Brutal Realty, Inc. Blood Bath) and starring London May (The Dark Knight Rises, Verotika).

Also in the horror thriller are Mya Hudson (A Wall Away, upcoming F*ck, Kill Mary), Hannah Pierce (Flock of Dudes, The Hunted), Henry Mortensen (Crimson Tide)

“Night of the Bastard” is set for releasee to select theaters, digital & VOD on January 13, 2023.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

Disgruntled hermit Reed lives a solitary life in the desert. After chasing away a group of youths trying to party near his home, Reed’s peaceful life is violently upheaved when a goup of savage cultists lay siege to his house.

Forced to partner up with one of the party-goers, Reed and his newfound colleague must defend themselves into the night, all while long-buried and disturbing secrets are revealed to him as part of the cult’s evil plan.

Oscar Contender “Hidden Letters” Sets US Release

Posted on December 4, 2022 by admin

Oscar contender “Hidden Letters” is set to open this Friday, December 9 in select U.S. theaters.

The film is directed by Violet Du Feng and Zhao Qin.

Spanning between past and present, Hidden Letters follows two millennial Chinese women who are connected by their fascination with a secret language of sisterhood, and their desire to protect it against a perpetually patriarchal society.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
For centuries in China, the once-secret written language of Nüshu was calligraphed on folded fans and handkerchiefs as hidden letters so women could share stories and express solidarity in a repressive era when many women were denied literacy. Confronting patriarchy, two modern women find solace in Nüshu, rediscovering connections between traditional Chinese womanhood and contemporary feminism.

“Indiana Jones 5” First Trailer Released

Posted on December 2, 2022 by admin

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is officially the new title of the upcoming 5th Indiana Jones film, which sees Harrison Ford reprising iconic role as the hero archaeologist. The film is also said to be Ford’s final time to play the role.

Disney has unveiled the first trailer for the film, which shows a de-aged Ford in various death defying action sequences and a thrilling car chase sequence. The trailer does not reveal a lot of details about the film’s plot, but it is heavy on action and nostalgia, and ending in a hilarious scene where a dozen guns are pointed at Indiana Jones. The film is set in the 1960s this time around, during the Space Race between the US and the Soviet Union.

Lucasfilm has also unveiled the film’s a new poster, which features a face close-up shot of Ford’s Indiana Jones character wearing his signature fedora hat and leather jacket.

John Rhys-Davies is reprising his role as Sallah A new set of cast members include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen.

Directed by James Mangold (Logan, Ford v Ferrari). “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is set for release into theaters June 30, 2023. Watch the full trailer below.

Angela Bassett To Receive 38th Annual SBIFF Montecito Award

Posted on December 1, 2022 by admin

Angela Bassett will be honored with the Montecito Award at the 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Bassett will receive the award on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 at an in-person conversation about her career leading up to this year’s performance in Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER directed by Ryan Coogler from Disney Studios.

“Ms. Bassett has had an illustrious career as an actor, director and producer and in WAKANDA FOREVER reminds us why she’s so greatly revered. She’s regal, fierce and commanding as Queen Ramonda. We bow down.” SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling stated.

Angela Bassett is an actress, director, and executive producer known for captivating, emotionally-tinged performances full of dignity in treasured films such as MALCOLM X, BOYZ IN THE HOOD, WAITING TO EXHALE, HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK, and of course, WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. She has since made star-turns in the historic BLACK PANTHER, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE-FALLOUT, BUMBLEBEE from Paramount, as well as the television hits 9-1-1, and MASTER OF NONE. Other recent projects include Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-winning animated feature SOUL, for which she lent her melodious voice for the character, Dorothea Williams; feature films OTHERHOOD and GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE from Netflix; and THE FLOOD from National Geographic, for which she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Narrator. Further, she was nominated for two Emmys, including Outstanding Narrator for the IMAGINEERING STORY: THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW. Bassett recently wrapped production on the Netflix Originals feature film, DAMSEL, opposite Millie Bobby Brown.

The Montecito Award is named after one of the most beautiful and stylish areas in Santa Barbara. Past recipients include Penélope Cruz, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts and Javier Bardem.
Continue reading →

New Trailer For “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” Released

Posted on November 29, 2022 by admin

Nintendo and Illumination has released a new trailer for its upcoming movie “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”. The film is based on the video game series of the same name, Super Mario.

The stunning new trailer comes after the teaser trailer was released last month. There is more details on the movie this time around. This time we hear the voice of Chris Pratt as Mario, and also showcases Anya Taylor-Joy and Seth Rogan’s characters as Princess Peach and Donkey Kong.

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (in Jelenic’s feature directorial debut), the ensemble voice cast also includes harlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Charles Martinet, and Kevin Michael Richardson.

A poster was also released on the film’s official Twitter movie account. It shows a stunning interior view of Princess Peach’s castle.

The 🏰 awaits pic.twitter.com/15wjCfrdC4

— The Super Mario Bros. Movie (@supermariomovie) November 28, 2022

The film is set to be released by Universal Pictures in the US on April 6, 2013.

Hulu Releases Trailer For “Darby And The Dead”

Posted on November 27, 2022 by admin

20th Century Studios’ has released the trailer for its upcoming supernatural teen comedy “Darby and the Dead”.

Directed by Silas Howard, the film stars Riele Downs, Auli’i Cravalho, Chosen Jacobs, Asher Angel, Wayne Knight, with Derek Luke and Tony Danza. Also released is the film’s poster.

The film tells a story of a high school student, Darby, who moonlights as a spiritual messenger for lonely spirits, until her frenemy Capri, the Queen Bee of the most exclusive clique dies in a freak hair straightening accident, forcing the undead diva to turn to Darby for help.

“Darby And The Dead” will be released by 20th Century Studios as a Hulu original film on December 2, 2022.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” Latest Trailer Released

Posted on November 23, 2022 by admin

James Cameron and team has released a new trailer for the director’s latest upcoming epic film, “Avatar: The Way of Water”.

The spectacular trailer showcases some of the technology the director has in store. In a recent GQ interview, he explains the algorithms, new cameras, and many other techs that came into use in making the film.

“It’s not animation in a Pixar sense where they’re just making stuff up,” Cameron said. “The actors already defined what they did, but it has to be translated from the captured data to the 3D-CG character. And there’s all sorts of AI steps in there.”

Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the movie stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, and Stephen Lang.

Get another peek at the upcoming sequel’s story in this new trailer. The film is set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar.
“Avatar: The Way of Water is set to debut in theaters on December 16, 2022.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Lead Independent Spirit Awards Film Nominations

Posted on November 22, 2022 by admin

A24 Films

The film categories of 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were revealed on Tuesday morning, Nov, 22, 2022.

“Everything, Everywhere All At Once” leads the list with 8 nominations. “TAR” followed closely with 7 nominations, while “Aftersun” and “Women Talking” received 5 and 4 nominations respectively.

For the acting categories, the nominees were Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Mia Goth (Pearl), Paul Mescal (Aftersun), Cate Blanchett (TÁR), Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie), Jeremy Pope (The Inspection), Taylor Russell (Bones And All), Dale Dickey (A Love Song), Regina Hall (Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.), and Aubrey Plaza (Emily The Criminal).

This year, the awards ceremony will use gender-neutral acting categories in lead and supporting across film and television.

“We’re thrilled to join the other festivals and award shows that are already moving to celebrate great acting without reference to gender. We’re also happy to welcome non-binary performers into the Spirit Awards without forcing them to choose to identify as male or female,” Film Independent president Josh Welsh said at the time.

For a full list of nominees, go to filmindependent.org.

Zac Locke’s “#FLOAT” Comes To Digital and VOD 12/9 from XYZ Films

Posted on November 15, 2022 by admin

A survivor horror film about a lazy river trip gone wrong, #FLOAT is the directorial debut of writer-director Zac Locke.

The horror film from XYZ Films is set for release in VOD and digital platforms on December 9, 2022.

#FLOAT skillfully plays on classic tropes of ’80s slasher films – beautiful young, selfish people blithely ignore warnings about the dangers awaiting them and then get gruesomely killed off – while employing a modern sensibility.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
Young, beautiful and full of life, vlogger Kali and her friends are heading to the river for their annual float, but it’s the first time since their friend overdosed and drowned last year. Their partying turns deadly as a sinister paranormal force plunges them into a life and death struggle forcing them to face their own fears as they turn on each other – and proceed to die one by one.